By Cornelius Frolik, Staff Writer BUTLER COUNTY — Crystal meth has made a deadly comeback in the region at a time when the opioid epidemic already is responsible for an alarmingly high body count.Last year, methamphetamine appeared as a factor in the cause of death statements for eight people in Butler County, according to the Butler County Coroner’s Office. This year so far there have been 12 such cases.Heroin overdose cases are down, but meth usage is on the rise, officials say. FIRST REPORT: Heroin overdoses are down in Middletown, but a new drug is on the rise Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser told our news partner WCPO that users are recognizing the higher risk of death from fentanyl-laced heroin and turning to an alternative. "An awareness grew in the drug culture,” said Gmoser, “The user community started to realize that their chance of dying from fentanyl-laced heroin was increasing exponentially."“The users … [Read more...] about Meth makes deadly comeback in Butler County
Medical meth
New Mexico Woman Blames ‘Medical Meth’ for Failed Drug Test
A New Mexico woman who allegedly faked a prescription to hoodwink her probation officer after failing a drug test said she failed it because of “medical meth.” Authorities arrested and charged Ginger Sharpe, 34, with additional counts of forgery and identity theft after she pleaded guilty to forgery charges in 2017, the Albuquerque Journal reported.When Sharpe tested positive for drugs in February, she allegedly told her probation officer her doctor prescribed her methamphetamine and showed them a pill bottle with a label that read “methamphetamine 5 mg tablets.” She told the parole officer that a doctor in Farmington prescribed her the illegal drug, but the officer did not buy her excuse, KOB 4 News reported.Authorities said the “fuzzy lettering” on the falsified pill label led them to believe the prescription was fake. Police say Sharpe was charged with identity theft because falsifying her doctor’s name could have caused damage to … [Read more...] about New Mexico Woman Blames ‘Medical Meth’ for Failed Drug Test
The Meth Storm next door
A few years ago, we had some major renovations done on our house. It took several months, and we got to know the guys who worked on the project pretty well. They did a beautiful job. So about a year later, when we had a somewhat smaller project, we called the same contractor. A whole new crew showed up. So we asked the boss where our buddies had gone. We assumed they were off on some bigger project. But the boss shook his head sadly and told us he had to let them all go. "They were all into that meth," he said, explaining that some of them would only work a few days, just long enough to get enough money to score. Then they wouldn't turn up for days. He'd had tools go missing. We said we understood. But we really didn't. Most of us--save police officers, social workers and medical first responders--live in our own bubbles. We nod at the same faces every day, we have our well-worn dog trots both in the physical world and the valleys of our brains. We don't often collide with other … [Read more...] about The Meth Storm next door
Arizona mother who gave toddler fatal meth dose receives 20-year prison sentence
PHOENIX An Arizona woman who gave her toddler a fatal dose of methamphetamine in 2016 was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison. Natalie Russell, 30, pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder and child abuse, azcentral.com reported. Russell claimed she gave her 22-month-old daughter meth to counteract the effects of methadone. The child had accidentally ingested methadone that was left in an open container, Russell allegedly told police. Officials said Russell failed to get her daughter medical assistance. Several friends and family members attended Russell's sentencing at the Maricopa County Superior Court, azcenteral.com reported. Russell's supporters said they forgave her for her actions. Russell maintains that she never meant to harm her daughter, and her actions were driven by her drug addiction. … [Read more...] about Arizona mother who gave toddler fatal meth dose receives 20-year prison sentence
Former KSDK reporter and Ferguson spokesman Jeff Small charged with meth possession
ST. LOUIS • Former KSDK-TV (Channel 5) reporter and former Ferguson spokesman Jeffrey R. Small was charged Tuesday with felony possession of methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Small, 44, of the 2000 block of Hereford Street in St. Louis, could not be reached for comment Tuesday; no lawyer was listed for him in online court records. St. Louis Officer Nathaniel Hendren stopped Small's vehicle in the 6500 block of Manchester Avenue on Jan. 6 because his front right headlight was out, according to charging documents. Small pulled into the parking lot of strip mall on the block, stopped, got out and approached the officer's patrol car, charges say. Hendren said in court documents that he "learned that the defendant had active bench warrants in multiple jurisdictions" in Missouri, prompting Hendren to arrest Small. Court records say a Normandy municipal warrant was issued for him in July 2016 when he didn't show up for court on an ordinance violation … [Read more...] about Former KSDK reporter and Ferguson spokesman Jeff Small charged with meth possession