The Parker County Sheriff’s Office Special Crimes Unit (SCU) has seized large amounts of fentanyl and other illicit drugs in the Fort Worth and Parker County areas. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is 50-times stronger than heroin, and has resulted in seven confirmed deaths in Parker County from January 2022 to January 2023, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office. The SCU has made multiple arrests, including Aiden Bandy, Samuel Ibarra, Angel Ibarra, Amber Barnett, Isaiah Marquis Christopher, Daniel Lloyd Nugent II, and Brittany Dawn May. Sheriff Russ Authier warns of the danger posed by counterfeit drugs laced with fentanyl and urges those struggling with addiction to seek help immediately.
These seizures were part of several recent cases initiated by the Parker County Sheriff’s Office Special Crimes Unit (SCU) which led to the large seizure of fentanyl and other illicit drugs in the Fort Worth and Parker County areas. Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier is quick to point out that a majority of these “so-called” overdose cases are in fact poisonings. “Many of the adults and teenagers consuming these counterfeit drugs are unaware they are laced with fentanyl which has the potential to kill them,” Authier said.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin. The recent rise in fentanyl deaths is due to the decrease in price, according to SCU investigators. “Years ago, heroin went for $100 per gram,” said SCU Commander James Peel. “Today, we see fentanyl and heroin pills manufactured on the streets and sold for $5 per pill. People think because it’s in a pill form that it won’t harm them but in reality, it turns out to be deadly.”
SCU investigators believe additional nonfatal incidents may exist but are going unreported due to the fear of law enforcement intervention. During a recent trip to the southern border, Sheriff Authier witnessed firsthand the crisis affecting the nation. “Meeting with federal, state, and local officials shed a much-needed light on a growing situation which desperately needs our immediate attention,” Authier said. “In Parker County, we are combating the results of the massive influx of illicit narcotics entering our open border and endangering every community in Texas and across America."
In Parker County, the SCU has responded to every overdose case reported in their jurisdiction, and they are taking the threat very seriously by tracking down the sources and charging the distributors and manufacturers accordingly. These poisonings are tragic incidents that can be avoided. Education and awareness are the keys to prevention. Those struggling with addiction are urged to seek help immediately. The SCU investigators are actively investigating cases and working with other agencies in efforts to take out the source and supply.
Sheriff Authier also thanked the Special Crimes Unit for their diligence in building these cases and for continuing to combat the street drug fight in the community. He added that he believes the men and women of the Parker County Sheriff’s Office Special Crimes Unit are the finest drug-fighting force in the state of Texas.
The cases are under active investigation in cooperation with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). As drug investigations develop in complexity and extend beyond the Parker County jurisdictional boundary, they are often adopted by other agencies at the city, county, state, and federal levels.
In conclusion, the Parker County Sheriff’s Office Special Crimes Unit is committed to combating the growing crisis of fentanyl and other illicit drugs in the area. With their proactive approach in fighting drug trafficking, they are urging those struggling with addiction to seek help immediately. They believe that education and awareness are the keys to prevention, and they are working with other agencies to take out the source and supply.