Miles Scherer was arrested and charged with Possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of THC, and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. Deputies located Newhauser in a field where they found two knives, $35,000 in cash, three bags of meth and two glass pipes. In addition, approximately $425,000 in drug proceeds and assets were seized during a two year period. Johnsen knows there's another kind of danger. Substance Use in North Dakota PowerPoint 2019. Overdose statistics provided at the opioid roundtable discussion in Grand Forks were collected by the Department of Health and Human Services. Before the boom, he says, "I pretty much knew most of the defendants. They move it well and it's a battle that we have to continue to fight.". Legal Statement. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The 2021 total of overdose deaths is up from 76 in 2019 and approximately 116 in 2020. All rights reserved. Prosecutors say 24-year-old Megan Isaak sold more than half a ton of marijuana between March 2018 and April 2019. Two people were taken into custody and face federal charges. Officers also seized approximately $93,000 in U.S. currency during the searches. He celebrates the positive the wealth of good-paying jobs, the new businesses, the promise of oil riches for years to come that would be the envy of any community. He's reminded of it by a photo on his cell phone of a friend who'd come to the Bakken, attended his support group and recently lost his struggle with alcohol and drugs. Mercer Count Deputies say Newhauser fled from them reaching speeds over 100mph in October. The South Dakota Attorney Generals Office has also charged Travis Maho, Alex Nimmor, Duane Apple, Keith Laframboise, Orlyn Anderson, Tabitha Range, Chris Luke, Zack Franzen and Christopher Tomac in connection with this investigation. Theres a lot of people that dont have jobs that come through court, but they have large amounts of cash on them, and thats from selling drugs, Hager said. Published: Nov. 13, 2020 at 11:56 AM PST BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - A man accused of fleeing police and having more than six pounds of meth has been indicted on federal charges. The Des Moines Resident Office is part of DEAs Omaha Division encompassing Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota as well as parts of Illinois and Wisconsin. Doug Burgum says, McFeely: Looking for a hot take? Authorities say a gram of meth that might sell for $120 in big cities can cost $200 in Williston. Morton County and North Dakota Highway Patrol officers arrested three men on Interstate 94 after finding more than 3 pounds of methamphetamine in their vehicle . The United States Attorneys Office is grateful to our partners in law enforcement for their tireless work to protect Iowans from these criminal organizations.. Every day, Sheriff Scott Busching a self-described "die-hard, old-school cop" faces the ever-changing landscape that is the Bakken: More serious traffic accidents. The Stutsman County Narcotics Task Force was assisted by the North Dakota Bureau of investigation, Stutsman County Sheriffs Office, North Dakota Parole and Probation and the North Dakota Highway Patrol. Suspect in Mercer County drug bust upgraded to federal charges, Details released in vehicle-pedestrian collision in downtown Bismarck, Man arrested following high-speed chase from near Williston to Montana, City of Minot accepts energy conservation grant for streetlights, Human relations ordinance prompts discussion at Minot City Council, 94-year-old Korean War veteran sees US Navy Memorial for first time, Closed Caption Inquiries - (701) 255-5757. The Bakken shale fields oil boom has brought about a high cost of living in the area, especially for housing. They assaulted him in a camper in Williston, stuffed him into a plastic-lined car trunk, then beat him again after he escaped. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The process does not take place in multimillion dollar controlled lab facilities such as prescription pills tend to, Solberg said. Heroin is more visible, something that "scares me," says Busching, who adds that he'd probably rate the drug problem in his county a 7 on a scale of 10. The 21 defendants received combined sentences totaling 218 years in federal prison. National. (North Dakota Century code 23-01-42) . Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. Last spring, about 10 others, included two reputed members of the notorious Sinaloa cartel, were accused in a drug conspiracy. In nearby Watford City, for instance, police calls for service have multiplied at a staggering rate almost 100 times in a five-year period. They also say crime, including drug trafficking, is up. (The average nightly inmate population has jumped from 24 five years ago to 135.). Market data provided by Factset. But the lure of big money was a guaranteed draw, too, for drug dealers and other troublemakers. Fentanyl is a powder and can be injected intravenously. Wrigley alleges evidence can show transportation of tens of thousands of oxycodone pills, worth around $2.5 million into North Dakota alone. Authorities say other drugs. So far, 34 people have been arrested and most are pending trial. Traffickers routed illegal drugs to Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and North Carolina. Operation Despacito began in April 2017, as investigators tracked the Iowa-based distribution cell known for methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl and cocaine trafficking. Eventually the suspect was taken under arrest, their name is not being released at this time. According to court documents, Liverman and Keever had . Burgum signs bills to aid pregnant women in wake of abortion ruling, Ashley Judd to speak at upcoming YWCA Cass Clay event, Roundabout project will close portion of County Highway 17 in West Fargo for 3 months. Police do say that person is facing several felony charges. On the reservation, traffickers can get $80-$100. That chase happened on Sept. 30 when the suspect didnt pull over for having a taillight out. See partner representation below: Boys & Girls Club of the Three Affiliated Tribes, Center for Rural Health, University of North Dakota, Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, North Dakota Students Against Destructive Decisions, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, Turtle Mountain Community College, Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center, University of Wyoming. Though fentanyl (a synthetic opioid) has been prevalent in North Dakota for a number of years now, Grand Forks County States Attorney Haley Wamstad said it has become much more accessible.. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the primary federal funder for state-level substance abuse prevention infrastructures. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. In 2011: almost 4,000. Please subscribe to keep reading. Theres no demographic thats safe, said Col. Brandon Solberg of the North Dakota Highway Patrol. The Beulah Police Department says they. ADVANCE FOR USE SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2014 AND THEREAFTER - This combination of undated images provided by the Williams County, N.D. Sheriff's Office in March 2014 shows, from left, Brian Dahl, also known as "Kodiak;" Jeffrey Jim Butler, also known as "Pops," and James Odeneal at the Williams County jail in Williston, N.D. The members of this violent gang were all relative newcomers to Williston. Leader of Multi-State Drug Trafficking Group Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Distribution of Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and Heroin April 7, 2023 Read More Press Release Beckley Woman. WILLISTON, N.D. The blood-drenched man had survived a brutal attack: Beaten with brass knuckles, shocked with a stun gun, slashed with a razor blade, then dumped 40 miles away in Montana, he staggered to a farmhouse for help. DEA officials say the bust is tied to one case investigated as part of their One Pill Can Kill initiative. More arrests. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. A major concern with counterfeit M30 pills is users inability to determine the quantity of fentanyl in any pill they come across. But the bonanza suddenly flourishing here has also brought with it a dark side: a growing trade in meth, heroin, cocaine and marijuana, the shadow of sinister cartels and newfound violence. Small-town police forces have been struggling to keep pace. This assessment process involves the gathering and examination of data related to substance use and related consequences, community climate, environment and infrastructure/resources. NDSU's Grant Nelson will get drafted, Ashley Judd to speak at upcoming YWCA Cass Clay event, Roundabout project will close portion of County Highway 17 in West Fargo for 3 months. Across North Dakota, DEA agents intercepted 1,541 fake pills in the fiscal . (KOTA) - U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons announced 37 people were federally indicted as part of a large-scale meth trafficking network. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The three men arrested were listed as being between the ages of 22 to 42. What they uncovered was a large-scale methamphetamine ring that had found a home in a state long known for its small-town solitude, its slow pace and peaceful pastures. February 24, 2021. Johnsen, 29, came to the Bakken in 2010 to escape drugs. Guns also are increasingly becoming part of the business. "There was no reason he should have died.". "It used to be if someone was selling methamphetamine in the area, there probably were six degrees of separation from a Mexican cartel or a motorcycle gang," Purdon says. Recently, rainbow fentanyl fentanyl pills of various colors has been found in North Dakota. Generally, what we're seeing now is only one or two degrees.". According to a press release, the series of events that led to the large drug bust was set off with a pair of traffic stops on June 21. "I was still under the mindset of 'work hard, party hard,'" Johnsen says. In addition, approximately $425,000 in drug proceeds and assets were seized during a two year period. County jails overflow on weekend nights. I knew their parents, their kids, their grandparents, their next-door neighbors. 2016 ND Mini Epidemiological Profile - Binge Drinking, 2016 ND Mini Epidemiological Profile - Underage Drinking. drugs, cash seized in Jamestown drug busts. The mission of the North Dakota SEOW is to identify, analyze and communicate key substance abuse and related behavioral health data to guide programs, policies and practices. BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) North Dakota recorded the most deaths from drug use in a decade last year as the pandemic caused isolation and fentanyl became widely available. Opioid users often purchase fentanyl pills believing it is heroin or oxycodone, police said, adding that fentanyl can be up to 50 times more potent than heroin. He helped start a twice-weekly support group of recovering substance abusers and stays out of bars. Busching concedes it took time for him to accept the dramatic changes but he came around. (In Ward County, about two hours away, meth seizures jumped from $63,200 in 2012 to $404,600 last year, according to the sheriff's office.). The oil boom in the Bakken shale fields has touched off an explosion of growth and wealth on this remote wind-swept prairie. The seven men in the 2012 abduction-drug conspiracy had all come to Williston within two years before their arrests. There's simply a lot of money involved, a lot of money flowing around in those communities.". Stutsman County Sheriff Chad Kaiser reports that on Monday, December 7th, a search was conducted at 1010 Western Park Village in Jamestown. TUESDAY: MOSTLY SUNNY, Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 15_5 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) GSA/218.0.456502374 Mobile/15E148 Safari/604.1, KOVC Voice of the Valley Topic Submission. Federal prosecutors in Rapid City worked with law enforcement agencies all over the state to charge 37 defendants with drug-related offenses, according to a press release from the South Dakota U.S. Attorneys Office. "We have a formidable opponent," says Mike Cotter, U.S. attorney in Montana. The defendants are from all over, including North Carolina, Colorado, California, South Dakota, and several places in Mexico. Oil rigs light up the night sky. I call it the drug of death, Hager said. It's not like you catch one organization and it's over. April 27, 2023. Pills seized in Minot's biggest fentanyl bust worth $350,000, police say . Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( The Bakken Formation tens of thousands of square miles of oil-bearing shale under the long, flat prairies of western North Dakota, eastern Montana and part of Canada was touted as a modern-day Gold Rush. A locked padlock Arrests made in ND drug pipeline. He was left for dead in a Montana field. But many drug policy experts say this won't slow fentanyl deaths. Officials at local law enforcement agencies throughout the region say a marked increase in population from the oil boom is stretching their resources. The guns come out.". Crime, North Dakota News Mandan Woman Accused in Large Drug Bust to Face Trial in May Isaak faces six felony drug charges for possession with intent to deliver January 28, 2020 MANDAN,. Prevention research has illustrated the importance of using data to guide efforts in making a positive change. Prosecutors say they are members of a Williston-based drug ring who called themselves "The Family" which federal prosecutors say distributed methamphetamine in northwestern North Dakota. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. NDSU's Grant Nelson will get drafted, North Dakota Gov. "It runs the gamut from high-end cartels to street dealers. "We kind of run around plugging holes in the dikes," Walgren said, "hoping they don't break.". And it was cap. 2019 North Dakota Community Readiness Survey, 2017 North Dakota Community Readiness Survey, 2015 North Dakota Community Readiness Survey, Region 1 Community Readiness Survey Results, Region 2 Community Readiness Survey Results, Region 3 Community Readiness Survey Results, Region 4 Community Readiness Survey Results, Region 5 Community Readiness Survey Results, Region 6 Community Readiness Survey Results, Region 7 Community Readiness Survey Results, Region 8 Community Readiness Survey Results, North Dakota Survey of Young Adults (2020), North Dakota Survey of Young Adults (2018), North Dakota Survey of Young Adults(2016). Methamphetamine use, a driver of violent crime locally, grew in Montana during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a laboratory company. We see that you have javascript disabled. Mexican cartels are slowly making inroads in small-town America. Prison sentences of up to 20 years. "The knives come out. Study puts North Dakota at the top for DUI rates. People drive cars over other people. You have permission to edit this article. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. MINOT, N.D. A 25-year-old Minot man is facing Class A felony charges after law officers said they seized 5,000 fentanyl pills valued at $350,000 from his residence. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. She was arrested after police executed a search warrant at her storage unit in Mandan. Four of the 37 people have already pleaded guilty. Prosecutors say they are members of a Williston-based drug ring who called themselves "The Family" which federal prosecutors say distributed methamphetamine in northwestern North Dakota. (AP Photo/Williams County, N.D. Sheriff's Office), ADVANCE FOR USE SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2014 AND THEREAFTER - An officer guides a handcuffed man into a police car in Williston, N.D. on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. In another big drug bust, a 24-year-old Bakersfield, Calif., man who was jailed back home on murder, assault and gang charges was among 22 people indicted in January in "Operation Pipe Cleaner." (AP Photo/Martha Irvine) (The Associated Press), ADVANCE FOR USE SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2014 AND THEREAFTER - A shopper walks next to a Walmart store on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014 in Williston, N.D. near a sign advertising a $17 hourly wage for new employees - a rate higher than in many cities. In Grand Forks County, overdose deaths are rising as well, from six in 2019 to 12 in 2021. "It's like trying to capture smoke," says Bryan Lockerby, administrator of the Montana Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation. Drug deals here are arranged in phone calls, behind closed doors or along back streets of once-sleepy towns now pulsating with the work of a multibillion-dollar oil industry. (He stopped riding his motorcycle, selling his Harley.) 7 lbs of meth, 100 grams heroin taken off ND streets following chase, Mother arrested for leaving children home alone to go to gym, police say, Police: Man shipped $3 million worth of fentanyl to restaurant, Price Watch May 1 - Interest rates are rising again. Moorhead man accused of driving drunk, hitting pedestrian charged in court, North Dakota man accused of running over, killing teen after political argument faces less serious charge, Pentagon emails show National Guard preparing for mission hours before Minneapolis' Third Precinct burned, Arrest made in suspected Minneapolis mosque arsons, North Dakota man tried to pawn Native American war bonnet with golden eagle feathers, court docs allege, North Dakota Gov. JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) - The Stutsman County Narcotics Task Force conducted two large drug busts over two days in Jamestown. In order to put that into perspective, said Solberg, I usually share that a sugar packet weighs four grams, so the residue left behind after dumping out the sugar crystals could be two milligrams.. BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Law enforcement says they seized thousands of illegal pills and thousands in cash in two drug busts. I want it to be Mayberry. . (AP Photo/Martha Irvine). We will find these drug traffickers and put them in federal prison. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Now I can go weeks and see people I've never seen before. It's a long-term project. Last fall, the feds and state officials in both states launched "Project Safe Bakken," a collaborative effort to pursue criminal networks, including drug dealers. var wpb_gallery_user_ip_address = "64.90.40.248"; RED FLAG WARNING FOR NORTHWEST MINNESOTA TODAY: SUNNY AND BREEZY, HIGH: MID 50S. That included states like Kansas, North Carolina, California and Montana. And a county jail filled to capacity. The department brings together public health and public safety agencies across the state to explore the depth of the issue as well as potential solutions. The two pleaded guilty to distributing at least 80 pounds of meth to local drug dealers within a five-month period; the intended market, the feds say, was the oil patch. "We're seeing a lot more armed drug traffickers than I've previously noticed," says Derek Hill, an ATF agent in Bismarck. Three people have been arrested for their involvement. However, the number of overdoses is likely much higher than statistics show because many overdose deaths are not reported, according to Northeast Central Judicial District Presiding Judge Donald Hager. Sharon Cohen, a Chicago-based national reporter, can be reached at scohen@ap.org. The oil boom with its gusher of dollars was already under way more than three years ago when Tim Purdon was sworn in as chief federal prosecutor for western North Dakota. The bust comes as APD struggles to address rising crime after the Austin City Council in 2020 defunded it by over $150 million. In Watford City about 30 miles away there were just 41 calls in 2006. The Stutsman County Narcotics Task Force was assisted by the North Dakota Bureau of Investigation, Stutsman County Sheriffs Office, North Dakota Parole and Probation, and the North Dakota Highway Patrol. During that search, officers found an additional 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine, a half-pound of marijuana and several pieces of drug paraphernalia, Sheriff Kaiser added. Please refresh browser window. The cartel members also traded meth for about 150 guns, some of which made their way to Mexico, according to authorities. Investigators east of Cheyenne found the heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine inside a hidden compartment located in the back of a se, A California man on Thursday was sentenced to six years in prison for mailing almost two pounds of meth hidden inside a peanut butter jar and , A man accused of holding a loaded gun to the face of a Fargo police officer has been charged in federal court, U.S. Attorney Drew Wrigley anno, A man who was dressed in a gorilla suit and was armed with a machete has been arrested for threatening neighbors at a Fargo apartment building, Federal prosecutors say they have cut into an opioid pipeline that for five years has been moving millions of dollars worth of oxycodone pills. "It's kind of a two-way street," he adds, with guns used as protection and for barter. There were even multiple federal and state agencies outside of South Dakota that helped in the investigation. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). The amount of methamphetamine has a street value of around $200,000. August 16, 2021. Authorities arrested . The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration considers two milligrams of fentanyl to be a potentially lethal dose for someone who has not built up a tolerance to the drug. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Another summed up the situation this way: "More drugs than we have ever dealt with. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, "I liked it that way. Burgum signs bills to aid pregnant women in wake of abortion ruling, Port: Nearly 15% of North Dakota's House was absent for the last vote of the session, NDSU Western Equestrian Team rides into nationals after almost losing their program, North Dakota farmer partners with tech company for sustainable beef, fertilizer, The toothless smile: How Cody Mauch lost his 2 front teeth, Supporters of the Fargo Public Library show support at Read-In, 'Capital investment to flow' with corporate farm law change, North Dakota Gov. Ronald Newhauser is charged federally with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. As a judge, Hager sees many defendants from out of state who have no ties to Grand Forks County professional or personal. Theyre starting to make them look like Smarties, said Hager, referring to a type of candy. Tanker trucks rumble down the roads day and night. Sav Kelly joined the Grand Forks Herald in August 2022. Ninety percent of the people who come here to work in the oil fields are good people. This complex, multi-jurisdictional investigation involved hundreds of man hours and had organizational ties to multiple federal and state investigations, said DEA Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Richard Salter Jr. This case is yet another outstanding example of DEAs networking capabilities with local, state and federal law enforcement partners throughout the U.S.. Drug agents say there have been many overdoses and some deaths in the Minot area that are linked directly to fentanyl. The size of the drop in the state's production from 1.4 million barrels per day (b/d) at the start of the year to 860,000 b/d by May could exceed the oil production decline in Texas in . A 31-year veteran of the bench, Nelson, presiding judge of the Northwest judicial district of North Dakota, says the most dramatic change in crime that has occurred is the degree of violence. The 10 percent of the people who work in the oil fields that are problems make it bad for the rest of them.". He found an oil job using engineering skills he'd acquired during college. Copyright 2020 KVLY. Nearly a third of police officers in the study said the drug problem is acute. Since the start of the year, federal authorities have arrested almost 60 people in connection to a drug pipeline running from Detroit to the Peace Garden State. Some of that aid will be used by the North Dakota attorney general's office to add a prosecutor who will specialize in drug cases, working in both state and federal courts. The South Dakota Attorney General's Office charged nine people with state offenses that allege they worked with each other to bring pounds of meth into Western South Dakota in 2019 and 2020.. The pills make ingesting fentanyl much easier. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! BEULAH, N.D. (Valley News Live) - A police chase led to a massive drug bust in North Dakota, netting multiple pounds of meth and thousands in cash. All rights reserved. or redistributed. One of the suspects arrested by the Bottineau agent had 15 felonies, according to the ATF. GRAND FORKS, N.D. There were 131 drug overdose deaths in North Dakota last year. Though his felony record should have barred him from owning firearms, he was arrested with nine rifles, six pistols, four shotguns and three revolvers. Federal prosecutions in the western half of North Dakota nearly tripled from 126 in 2009 to 336 last year mostly, he says, because of drug cases involving several people. And hard-core criminals are bringing drugs in from other states, sometimes concealing them in ingenious ways: liquid meth in windshield wiper reservoirs. Stutsman County Sheriff Chad Kaiser said on Monday, a search was conducted at 1010 Western Park Village.

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