►
Description
On Tuesday, October 3rd, 2017, the Buncombe County District Attorney's Office, Buncombe County Sheriff's Office and the Asheville Police Department held a joint press conference to present a new initiative in the battle to curtail trafficking in heroin and opioid related drugs.
A
To
take
note
of
as
a
community
as
we
move
forward
and
so
P
would
opium
heroin,
addiction,
crisis
and
I
want
to
thank
Sheriff
for
letting
us
letting
us
use
this
facility
to
have
this
conference
today
and
thank
again,
thank
you
all
for
coming,
because
we
need
to
get
the
word
out.
I
am
Todd
Williams,
Bochum,
County,
District
Attorney,
and
in
that
role,
I
want
to
preface
our
remarks.
C
A
B
A
Back
up
and
restate
that
my
office
has
a
treatment,
oriented
philosophy,
but
we've
got
to
balance
the
enforcement
of
our
criminal
laws
with
with
treatment
and
our
discretion.
That
being
said,
we
have
a
situation
where
heroin
and
opioid
substances
are
going
into
the
black
market
on
our
streets,
and
it
is
the
body
count.
The
overdose
cases
are
skyrocketing
because
we're
dealing
with
ever
more
potent
cuts
to
to
street
drugs.
The
slide
here
shows
the.
B
B
A
Fentanyl
and
car
fentanyl
we've
heard
a
lot
about
fentanyl
car
fentanyl
is
something
that
is
new
and
is
coming
into
the
Atlanta
market
for
the
DEA,
and
if
it's
coming
into
Atlanta,
it's
more
than
likely
coming
in
into
Western
North
Carolina
car
fentanyl
is
a
veterinary
application.
It
is
a
thousand
times
more
powerful
than
fentanyl,
and
it's
generally
you
it's
generally
called
elephant
tranquilizer,
and
that.
A
This
is
going
to
tackle
this.
It's
going
to
take
you
take
a
multi-pronged
approach
again
treatment
is,
it
is
a
is
a
primary
focus.
We've
spoken
with
with
attorneys
and
County
government
officials
in
terms
of
participating
in
civil
litigation.
The
DA's
office
is
fully
engaged
on
this
in
this
crisis
and
we're
seeking
to
reduce
the
incidence
of
overdose
in
our
community.
So
I've
got
some
some
slides.
This
is
obviously
the
the
slide
that
is
labeled,
inherently
dangerous
drugs,
and
that
phrase
is,
is
key
in
the
prosecution
of
will
come
to
a
slide.
B
B
A
Read
here
an
analysis
was
done
of
victims
in
this
2002
Moscow
theater
hostage
crisis,
an
analysis
done
of
urine
that
was
passed
in
the
remains
of
victims
in
this
crisis
and
indicated
that
car
fentanyl
was
aerosolized
and
used
to
gas,
the
Chechen
terrorists
and
in
this
2002
hostage
taking
in
Moscow
car
fentanyl,
therefore
has
been
weaponized.
It
is
that
it
is
that
potent.
A
A
These
kinds
of
graphs-
this
is
obviously
something
from
the
CDC
we've
seen
these
graphs
numerous
times
in
media
movement
movement.
If
you're
on
this
orange
axis
other
synthetic
opioids,
fentanyl
I've
had
a
car
pitbull
would
be
a
subgroup
with
that.
You
can
see
that
this
bike
is
here
on
this
axis.
I.
A
A
A
It's
scary
that
Citizen
Times
reported
on
this
in
the
last
week
or
so
skyrocket,
skyrocketing
overdoses,
overdoses
visits
to
the
ER
admission
84
to
230,
and
this
slide
is
basically
a
summary
of
what
we're
offering
in
the
DA's
office.
In
the
exercise
of
our
discretion.
A
user
should
have
multiple
opportunities
to
to
access
treatment
through
the
court
system.
If
there
is
an
arrest-
and
there
is
a
prosecution.
A
A
B
A
B
A
To
be
conflated
as
a
zero
tolerance
policy-
or
you
know
three
strikes
and
you're
out
we're
not
doing
that.
We
want
to
compassionately
address
this,
this
issue
with
the
resources
that
we
have,
but
we
have
to
make
it
clear
that
if
a
users
problem
is
metastasizing
is
becoming
needs
to
be
subsidized
through
the
sale
of
drugs
or
trafficking
of
drugs
that
are
cut
with
fentanyl
and
car
fentanyl
they're
going
to
be
some
concept,
it
has
to
be
consequences
because
we
have
to
balance.
We.
B
C
A
A
A
A
B
A
A
The
legislative
intent
here
in
North
Carolina
is
is
this:
this
is
a
possible
prosecution.
We
will
always
exercise
discretion.
We
will
always
look
at
each
case
case
by
case,
but
second-degree
murder
is
a
possible
charge
for
selling
drugs
if
someone
ends
up
dead
as
a
result
of
that
sale.
So
I
need
to
be
very
clear
about
that
and
last
I
just
want
everyone
to
kind
of
take
this
in
trafficking
and
heroin,
opium
opioid
controlled
substances
are
Class,
C,
Class,
A
and
Class
F
offenses
Class.
C
B
B
A
North
Carolina
is
now
identified
by
the
DEA
as
a
hub
transport
hub
for
the
trafficking
of
these
drugs.
So
we
want
to
put
not
only
our
community
on
notice.
They
want.
The
message
to
go
out
to
the
other
nodes
of
distribution
at
225
months
is
what
you're
looking
at
for
bringing
28
grams
or
more
into
our
community
here
in
Buncombe
County.
A
So
it's
a
simple
message:
we're
going
to
use
what
we've
got
in
terms
of
secondary
murder,
these
trafficking
statutes
to
protect
our
community,
but
we're
also
in
the
exercise
of
our
discretion,
providing
access
to
treatment,
coordinating
with
other
agencies
to
ensure
that
people
get
the
recovery
recovery
they
need.
So
this
is
the
DA's
dilemma.
This
is
the
District
Attorney's
dilemma:
we're
trying
to
enforce
the
law,
we're
trying
to
do
it
compassionately
and
doing
it.
Do
it
in
a
way
that
that
protects
our
community.
B
C
The
only
thing
that
could
give
me
a
bunch
of
people
with
cameras
is
this
message,
because
this
is
my
least
favorite
thing
to
do
in
the
world.
But
the
message
is
my
favorite
thing
to
talk
about,
and
that
is
when
any
given
day
I
work
in
the
grassroots
frontline
community,
dealing
with
homeless,
indigent
people
who
live
in
campsites,
people
who
live
off
I-240
exits.
C
C
When
a
good
week,
nobody
passes
but
again,
when
an
okay
week,
it's
I
always
hear
people
coming
in
from
the
NAAG.
Did
you
hear
that
so-and-so
I
heard
last
Thursday
that
somebody
I've
worked
with
in
the
homeless
community,
but
overdosed
came
back,
they
gave
him
narcan
and
he
went
out
again
the
same
night
and
passed
away.
So
it's
a
sidious.
It's
it's
got
deep
roots.
It's
got
roots
in
trauma.
It's
got
roots
in
history.
Is
that
roots
in
institutional?
Addressing
of
this
problem?
C
Rather
than
look
at
it
as
I
mean
we
don't
look
at
it
as
a
disease,
but
it
is
so
what
sunrise
does
on
a
non-clinical
non-therapeutic
non-medical
level
is
to
address
all
the
things
that
cause
us
of
all
the
social
situations,
the
economics,
the
education
piece,
the
trauma
piece,
we're
all
Peer,
Support
Specialists.
This
is
like
everybody
in
my
organizations
either
had
experience
with
substance,
use
mental
health
and
the
legal
community.
So
we've
been
there,
we've
done
that
which
gives
a
little
more
authenticity
to
our
message,
because
we
said
15
years
ago,
I
was
homeless.
C
C
They
were
facing
felony
possession
of
Schedule
one
or
scheduled
to
controlled
substances,
specifically
opiates
as
a
direct
response
to
the
ongoing
battle,
our
community
fights
against
the
severe
damage
that
heroin
and
fentanyl
laced
cause
us
to
victims
and
their
families.
So
we
collaborate
with
the
DA's
office
and
there
we
take
referrals
from
them
we're
going
to
shoot
for
30
folks
that,
hopefully
we
can
save
and
put
back
and
attach
to
community,
and
it's
not
just
educated
people,
it's
giving
them
something
to
hold
onto
this
bigger
than
what
they're
doing
now.
C
If
it's
something
to
get
them
out
of
bed,
something
to
say,
I
belong
to
a
community
that
is
greater
than
myself
sort
of
like
the
higher
power
of
naa.
But
again
the
community
attachment
piece,
save
my
life
and
I
want
to
give
that
gift
back
to
to
other
people.
Some
of
the
other
things
that
that
Sun
Rise
helps
I
was
again
with
that
recovery
wheel.
The
social
supports
is
we're
trying
to
get
a
card
quote
in
every
doctor,
some
prescribers
office
dentist's
office
and
says:
there's
five
questions.
I
asked
your
prescriber.
Do
I
need.
B
C
Drug
is
there
something
that's
I
can
do
that's
not
an
opiate
based.
How
long
do
I
have
to
take
it?
What
should
I,
if,
if
I,
don't
feel
like
finishing
what
should
I
do
so
again?
The
five
questions
I
want
to
get
it
out
in
the
medical
community
cuz.
That's
one
piece
of
the
problem
and
I've
worked
with
doctors
and
they're
getting
them
they're
kind
of
wrapping
their
heads
around
the
the
non-therapeutic
and
non-medical
supports
like
peer
support.
Oh
again
we
have
our
diversion
program.
C
C
We
fund
the
domains
of
wellness,
money
management,
spirituality,
education,
physical
exercise
and
also
just
giving
that
authentic
message
of
you
know
I've
been
there.
I
can
help
you
I
can't
do
it
for
you
and
your
program
won't
look
like
mine,
but
we
will
craft
you
an
individual
program
that
would
try
to
get
you
out
of
harm's
way
and
we
also
run
a
Community
Action
Committee.
Thanks
no.
C
C
C
C
A
That
that
we
are
partnering
with
folks
who
can
provide
these
kinds
of
services,
but
this
is
the
point.
This
is
the
message
right
here:
I
don't
want
this
to
be
lost.
We've
got
to
we've
got
to
address
the
the
trafficking
of
these
substances
because
it's
killing
people-
some
of
this
stuff
is
like
I've
already
explained,
has
been.
Weaponized
has
been
used
by
Vladimir
Putin
to
address
terrorism
in
his
country.
A
Geometric
increase
in
overdoses
and
fatalities
in
this
community
and
we're
not
going
to
arrest
our
way
out
of
it.
We
have
to
partner
with
folks
we
have
to
collaborate,
but
we
need
to
get
the
message
out
and-
and
that's
that's
what
we're
here
to
do
today,
I'll
be
around
for
a
while.
You
don't
want
to
say
anything.
A
A
D
Say
I
returned
yesterday
from
Raleigh
from
the
law
enforcement
roundtable
on
on
addressing
the
opioid
crisis
and
it's
really
a
three
prong
strategy.
One
is
in
prevention
and
what's
going
on
in
the
medical
field,
they
will
tell
you
pretty
quickly
that
some
of
the
practices
around
prescribing
kind
of
guide
us
to
where
we
are.
When
you
look
at
the
numbers
about
eighty
percent
of
people
who
are
addicted
to
or
who
are
heroin,
fentanyl
users
started
with
a
prescription
drug,
whether
that
was
diverted
or
whether
that
came
through
a
prescription
about
80
percent.
D
That's
how
they
get
there.
So
there's
a
lot
of
things
on
the
prevention.
In
just
knowledge,
letting
people
know
prescribing
changes,
then,
as
the
district
attorney
was
talking
about,
the
law
enforcement
gets
it
when
it
comes
to
people
who
have
the
disease
of
addiction
and
are
in
the
throes
of
that,
we're
looking
at
ways
to
get
them
into
treatment,
remove
that
stigma
and
and
try
to
help
those
individuals
recover
and
return
back
to
their
families
and
return
back
to
productive
living
on
the
third
piece
of
that,
it's
very
strong
enforcement
I
can
tell
you.
D
There
was
a
lot
of
time
spent
yesterday
talking
about
how
can
we
be
better,
cooperate,
better,
communicate,
better
and
and
be
more
effective
and
going
out
here
and
dealing
with
these
people
through
profit
from
this
plague
that
we're
from
that
we're
in
the
middle
of
right
now.
So
it
truly
is
a
three-pronged
strategy,
as
the
district
attorney
said,
and
we're
hoping
that,
through
the
consistent
pursuit
of
all
three
of
those
prongs,
we'll
move
ourselves
eventually
out
of
this
issue.
Thank.
A
You
for
emphasizing
that
I
mean
what
we've
discussed
internally.
Is
you
know
this
is
there's,
there's
a
profit
motive
and
it's
predation
on
folks
who
are
basically
they're
suffering.
It's
an
illness,
it's
an
addiction,
and
we
recognize
that,
but
the
folks
that
predate
on
that
are
looking
at
these
punishments.
D
So
when
we
do
these
numbers,
which
our
numbers
are
four
hundred
and
something
to
six
hundred
and
something
comparing
the
same
period
in
time
last
year
to
this
year,
that's
not
taking
into
account
all
those
saves
that
happen
out
here
who
people
have
access
to
North
Korea
right
now
our
Patrol
has
access
to.
Nor
can,
and
so
those
are
school
resource
officers
and
and
I.
D
A
Generally
fentanyl
in
car
fentanyl
is
used
to
cut
heroin,
which
is
already
it's
a
it's
a
it's
a
inherently
dangerous
drug.
It
was
already
part
of
the
statute,
but
that
is
making
it
clear
and
it's
a
clear
expression
of
the
legislative,
intent
and
recognition
opioid
is
for
is
now
included
as
a
potential,
inherently
dangerous
drug
that
we
know
kills
and
the
legislators
recognized
that
and
incorporated
that
into
our
second
degree.
Murder
statute.
We've.
E
A
As
as
I
said,
that
substance
is
generally
used
in
conjunction
with
a
street
drug
which
was
already
part
of
the
statute.
This
is
really
indicative
of
this
legislature,
recognizing
that
the
crisis
in
overdoses
is
stemming
from
the
opioid
controlled
substances
being
used
as
cuts
in
the
street
product.
Does
that
make
sense.
A
B
F
A
G
Morning,
my
name
is
teeny
Scheck
I'm,
the
director
of
social
work
services
for
becken
County,
and
you
are
correct
this.
This
plague
on
our
community
is
definitely
impacting
the
children
in
our
community
and
not
just
in
Beckham
County
in
the
entire
state.
Seventy
percent
of
the
children
who
are
in
foster
care
currently
in
Beckham
County,
entered
foster
care
because
one
or
both
of
their
parents
had
a
substance
abuse
issue.
Substance
abuse
is
not
new
to
child
welfare.
G
So
we
do
need
foster
parents.
We
were
always
in
need
of
foster
parents
and
if
you
are
interested
in
that,
please
contact
their
agency
and
we'll
be
glad
to
talk
with
you
about
that.
But
it
is
definitely
impacting
child
welfare.
But
it's
it's
usually.
Actually
it's
just
the
latest
drug.
This
impact
on
child
welfare
there's
always
been
drugs
that
have
impacted
child
welfare
and
I'm
happy
to
hang
around
and
answer
other
questions.
A
D
A
A
dismissal,
you
know
you
work
on
your
your
issues,
you
stay
clean,
don't
pick
up.
New
charges
do
a
program
I,
it's
structured,
so
that
there
should
be
at
least
weekly
meetings,
and
you
know
group
peer-to-peer
therapy
together
with
some
other
things
we'll
get
into
the.
This
is
just
a
preview
we'll
get
into
it
next
month,
but
the
idea
is
that
we
get
compliance.
We
we
have
no
new
criminal
charges
and
we
restore
the
individual
without
without
prosecuting
and
and
a
prosecution
that
results
in
a
conviction.
E
A
C
A
D
Some
of
them
are
actually
moving
back
to
a
different
drug.
The
calls
the
opioid
fentanyl
thing
has
gotten
so
dangerous.
One
of
the
things
that's
going
on
right
now
is
there's
pills
being
pressed
where
fentanyl
is
being
used
as
one
of
the
main
active
ingredients.
They
actually
have
a
head
stamp
of
a
different
drug,
so
they're
they're
pseudo
and
made
to
look
like
a
benzo
or
some
other
type
of
drug
and
an
individual.
D
He
would
normally
use
that
drug
whether
they
can
cook
it
up
and
inject
it
or
whether
they
would
snorted
or
overdose
and
die
so
I
think
I'd
be
remiss
if
I
didn't
put
that
out
there.
The
danger
of
using
especially
the
opioids,
especially
the
heroin,
the
fentanyl
laced
heroin
and
it's
hard
to
find
anything
out
there
that
doesn't
have
fentanyl
mixed
in
with
it.
It's
just
so
dangerous
it
true.
He
is
like
taking
your
life.
There's
this
bit
of
change
motor
drive,
as
you
will,
if
you're
using
those
Roger.