Heroin Distribution Investigation Leads To Arrest

In July 2012, members of the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team began a Heroin distribution investigation and identified Tony Lamont Mills, Age 32, of Berlin, Maryland who was distributing Heroin throughout Northern Worcester County. During the course of this investigation several purchases of Heroin were made from Mills. As this investigation progressed, an undercover Detective from the Criminal Enforcement Team was able to conduct two hand to hand purchases of Heroin directly from Mills on two separate occasions. It should be noted that during one of these hand to hand purchases of Heroin, Mills conducted this transaction while holding an infant child on his chest. It was also learned that Mills was also wanted on a Parole Retake Warrant from the Department of Corrections and a Violation of Probation Warrant from the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office. The Ocean City Police Department Narcotics Unit assisted the Criminal Enforcement Team throughout this investigation.

As a result of this investigation, Detectives authored a search and seizure warrant for a residence located on Elizabeth Street, Berlin, Maryland, where Mills was residing. On August 31, 2012, members of the Criminal Enforcement Team executed this search and seizure warrant utilizing the Berlin Police Department SWAT Team. Mills was subsequently apprehended while attempting to hide in a closet inside of the residence. A search of the residence revealed 6.8 grams of marijuana and additional six bags of Heroin along with a loaded .32 caliber revolver. A total of 28 bags of Heroin was recovered over the course of this investigation totaling approximately 2.8 grams. Mills is prohibited from owning and/or possessing a firearm as a result of a previous conviction of a disqualifying crime. This loaded .32 Caliber handgun was located in the closet where Mills was taken into custody. Additional items of evidentiary value was also seized from the residence. Mills was subsequently transported to the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office where he was charged with the following offenses:

On View Charges:

·         Possession of Marijuana – 1Ct.

·         Possession of Heroin – 3 Cts.

·         Possession with intent to Distribute Heroin – 1 Ct.

·         Distribution of Heroin – 2 Cts.

·         CDS – Possession of a firearm – 1Ct.

·         Firearm – Possession with felony conviction – 1Ct.

·         Firearm in relation to drug trafficking crime – 1Ct.

·         Illegal possession of a firearm – 1 Ct.

     Committed to the Worcester Co. Jail - $55,000.00 Bond

Warrants:

·         Violation of Probation – $25,000.00 Bond

·         D.O.C. Parole Retake – Lodged as a detainer

     The Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team was assisted during the execution of this search and seizure warrant by the Berlin Police Department SWAT Team, Berlin Police Department Canine Division, Ocean City Police Department Narcotics Unit, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division.

Worcester County Sheriff's Office Press Release

Michael Vick's Uncle Sentenced To Prison For Heroin Distribution

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - Michael Vick's uncle, Joseph Vick Jr., was sentenced Wednesday to serve 12 years in prison for his involvement in a heroin distribution ring that spanned the Virginia Peninsula, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Vick, 57, was one of 22 people busted by federal agents in December 2009 for distributing bulk heroin to Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson and Williamsburg, as well as Gloucester, James City, Matthews, Middlesex and York counties.

Agents say Vick was a mid-level dealer who typically distributed between 10 and 20 "bundles" or 10-packs of heroin per day.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia said back in December the bust was part of a year-long investigation into the organization.

FBI agent Phil Mann told WAVY.com the investigation began in September 2008, when an inmate died of a heroin overdose at the Newport News Police Department. An investigation was then launched, which revealed a startling trend, according to investigators.

"Within the past two years there were about 15 deaths as a result of heroin overdoses, as well as 27 heroin overdoses leading to something less than death," said Mann.

According to Mann, several of those overdoses have been attributed to heroin distributed by members of the drug trafficking organization.

Alleged ring leader Darryl Wright, 44, of Hampton was indicted January 13. Wright had allegedly brought heroin from New York and New Jersey to the Peninsula since at least January 2007.

According to the indictment, members of the heroin ring generally traveled by bus to New York or New Jersey, purchased 200 grams of heroin, and brought the heroin back to a "table top" home allegedly set up by Wright in the southeast community of Newport News. There, according to the indictment, the heroin would be cut and repackaged for street-level distribution.

www.wavy.com

Drugs Smuggled In Soup Packets

WASHINGTON

Authorities have arrested a Pennsylvania man who allegedly tried to smuggle more than four pounds of cocaine through Dulles International Airport using powdered soup packets.

Customs and Border Protection officers arrested Jose Acevedo, 41, after he arrived on board a flight from El Salvador on Thursday.

Authorities say a customs dog identified Acevedo, of Carlisle, Pa., as carrying drugs. When authorities opened the soup packets, the drugs were hidden inside some of them.

It isn't the first time authorities at the airport have seen creative smugglers. Last year officers found heroin in juice boxes and cocaine in cooked chicken.

www.hamptonroads.com

Woman Smuggles Heroin Into Jail By Stashing It In Herself

A woman has been charged with smuggling heroin into Florida's Charlotte County Jail by hiding it in her vagina.

Katrina Montez Wade, 37, was arrested on May 20th when deputies raided a suspected drug den in Port Charlotte.

Wade and another woman went to jail on trafficking charges after detectives say they found 98 grams of crack, 30 grams of heroin and pot at the home.

The other suspect told deputies at the time of the arrest that Wade had 50-100 baggies of heroin stashed in her vagina, but when she arrived at the county jail, the corrections deputies performed only a strip search - finding nothing - and denied a request for a body cavity search, according to the arrest report.

Deputies then started to hear rumblings that Wade was trading the heroin in the jail to get commissary items.

The deals were conducted by passing notes, reading lips and hand signals, according to the arrest report.

One note read, "Bags are $5.00. I am nice, but also a business person," according to deputies.
After interviewing several other inmates, corrections deputies confronted Wade on May 26th.

They told her they were prepared to use an ultrasound device to find anything she had hidden inside her body, according to the report.

Deputies say Wade gave in and removed one large plastic bag of heroin from her body. Inside the bag deputies found 12 smaller plastic bags of heroin.

In addition to the original drug charges, she's now facing Narcotics Possession, Possession with Intent to Distribute and Smuggling Contraband into Prison.

She remains in the Charlotte County Jail.

The sheriff's office wouldn't answer questions about why a body cavity search was denied upon her entrance into the jail.

This is Wade's 14th booking with 8 previous records.

www.thegrio.com