In-depth: A look into prosecuting drug-induced homicides in Tennessee

With how much fentanyl they’ve seen in the past several years, attorneys in Williamson County say it’s become a top priority to prosecute those who “put this poison on our streets to the highest extent of the law.” Fentanyl was hardly on his radar ten years ago when Assistant District Attorney Carlin Hess was merely an intern at the very …

Hendersonville man arrested after detectives find 16 pounds of fentanyl, other drugs

Rutherford County Sheriff’s detectives seized nearly 16 pounds of fentanyl as part of a Drug Enforcement Agency Task Force in Nashville. The seizure was part of a three-month investigation into Carlos Batey, 44, of Hendersonville. Batey used four locations to store, manufacture and distribute various types of narcotics, according to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office. While executing a search warrant, RCSO said detectives also …

Police discover 15 lbs of fentanyl at Tennessee home

DEA officials said one kilogram of fentanyl is capable of killing up to 500,000 people. Officers discovered more than 15 pounds of fentanyl at a home in Nashville, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency. Metro Nashville Police and DEA agents conducted a search warrant at two homes on Luton Street on Wednesday. Detectives discovered 15.5 pounds of fentanyl, 123 grams …

Tennessee toddler starved to death after mom overdosed, autopsy shows

An autopsy shows that a Tennessee toddler likely starved to death after his mother died of a drug overdose. A probation officer found the bodies of 32-year-old Tiffany Spears and her 15-month-old son, Nicholas Crowder, in their home in Portland, Tennessee, on February 9. A three-year-old girl was found alive in the home. There were no obvious signs of foul …

Opiate overdoses may lead to poor mental health

In disproportionate clusters from Cape Cod to San Diego, the opioid epidemic is taking a deadly toll on people’s mental health, suggested the findings of a new study by the researchers from the University of Cincinnati. Fatal opiate overdoses are most prevalent among six states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana and Tennessee. But researchers identified 25 hot spots of …

‘There are two pandemics’: Five fentanyl-related overdoses in Kootenai County in a week, authorities say

Local Kootenai County law enforcement warn of ‘sharp increase’ in overdose deaths linked to the synthetic opioid. Over the past eight days, five people in Kootenai County died of suspected fentanyl overdoses. Authorities are warning the public about a “sharp increase” in fatal overdoses connected to the synthetic narcotic fentanyl in Kootenai County.  Five overdose deaths involving counterfeit prescription pills and other …

West Tennessee Drug Task Force team named 2020 Team of the Year

A group of law enforcement officers that work to keep drugs and criminals off the streets in West Tennessee received a huge honor this week. The West Tennessee Drug Task Force interdiction team has been named the 2020 Team of the Year. These law enforcement officers reduce illegal drug trafficking, by working with 932 agencies along the major drug corridors …

Police: $2 million worth of narcotics from Memphis seized in Indiana

Two people were arrested Monday after Indiana State Police say they were caught with $2 million worth of narcotics originating from Memphis. Ester Osegueda, 32, and Adam Lopez, 27, were pulled over in a Chrysler van by Indiana State Police on Interstate 70. Authorities said there were some indicators of criminal activity and the vehicle was searched, leading to the …