By Mary Jane Farmer, for the Van Alstyne News, Scene In Town

Fentanyl has rapidly become the leading cause of death for those under the age of 45, statistics have shown.

The Grayson County Grand Jury meets every other week to hear reasons/proof to indict people for crimes allegedly committed. The most recent Grand Jury sitting, June 26, resulted in the indictment of 23 people on various drug charges. Of these, 4 people were indicted for possession of Fentanyl. The Grand Jury also indicted one person, Rameon Jordan of Sherman, on a charge of murder, and numerous others on serious felony charges. Indictments are not proof of guilt, but only reason to believe the person(s) should go on in the legal system.

Grayson County District Attorney Brett Smith said, “A few years ago Fentanyl cases were non-existent.  In the past few years, we have seen a nearly 400% increase in Fentanyl cases, and those are just the ones we know about, i.e. drugs seized and tested.  Couple that with our already existing methamphetamine crisis and we are seeing alarming numbers of felony drug cases.”

Van Alstyne Police Lt. Steven Hayslip described this dangerous drug, saying, “Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is approximately fifty (50) times more potent than heroin and one hundred (100) times more potent than morphine. Because of this potency, overdoses are increasing in an alarming fashion. Law enforcement agencies have seen a huge increase in the use of Fentanyl over the last several years.”

Hayslip continued, saying, “What makes Fentanyl even more deadly is that drug traffickers are cutting different substances with Fentanyl; for example: methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroine. This means users are buying certain narcotics only to be exposed to a drug much more potent than is anticipated.”

EMS and other first responders are now carrying a medicine known as Narcan, which can save someone from a heroin, fentanyl, or prescription medicine overdoses. ‘Narcan’ is the brand name for naloxone, which is available at drug stores without a prescription. The Online source Kidshealth.com said that anyone who might be struggling himself with drug addiction or is taking a prescribed opioid should carry Narcan. Ditto anyone who has someone around him/her consistently using illicit drugs.

That Website says that “someone who is overdosing might: Have small ‘pinpoint’ pupils, pass out, have slowed or no breathing, be limp, have blue lips and nails, and/or make choking or gurgling sounds.”

In priority, that caregiver should first call 911 for EMS assistance, then give Narcan if available. It is important, too, the site says to lay the person on his/her side, try to keep the person awake and breathing even by using CPR if needed, and stay with the person until emergency help arrives.

If anyone has those symptoms, but is not using narcotics, it will not harm them if Narcan has been applied.

“Narcan reverses the effects of fentanyl, heroin,, and prescription opioids on the brain and breathing,” the Website also explains.

Hayslip said, earlier, “The use of illicitly manufactured Fentanyl pills in on the rise and can come in many forms; for example: powder, liquid, pills, etc. A great deal of the illicitly manufactured Fentanyl is currently being manufactured in Mexico. The Fentanyl is then smuggled into the United States and distributed all across the country. There have been multiple arrests recently by law enforcement agencies in Grayson County including the Van Alstyne Police Department involving multiple forms of Fentanyl. “

In all, this Grand Jury indicted 23 people on various drug charges.  These included not only the 2 suspects indicted on the charge of Possession of Controlled Substances including Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC),  but also 14 people on PCS Methamphetamine, and 4 on PCS Cocaine.

Smith said the use of Fentanyl creates “ A large volume of crime, from not just the drug trade, but also the destructive effects associated with serious substance abuse.”

By Mary Jane Farmer for the Van Alstyne News, Scene in Town.

NOTE:  Names are not included until/unless a suspect is indicted.

Since October’s onset, Van Alstyne Police have jailed numerous people, including people from Sherman, Savoy, and Mesquite jailed on felony charges.

October 17 — Police Lt. Steven Hayslip reported that police a vehicle going north on U.S. Hwy 75 at FM 121 because of moving violations. When the officers approached the vehicle, they smelled the distinct odor or marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. With that as probable cause to search the vehicle, police conducted a full search of it and of the three adult occupants.

Hayslip said the search uncovered 60 grams of Methamphetamine, more than one gram of Fentanyl, and about five grams of Marijuana. They also found a fully-automatic Glock pistol.

The two other men both said they had Marijuana on them, so police placed all three of them under arrest.

There was a one-year-old baby in the car, also. Police turned the baby over to Child Protective Services, who, in turn, turned him/her over to his/her mother in Sherman.

Jailed was a Mesquite man on charges of Manufacture/Delivery of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 (Meth), Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Possession of Controlled substance over 1 gram (Fentanyl), Possession of Marijuana between 5-50 Pounds, and Abandoning/Endangering a Child with Intent/Criminal Negligence, with a total set at $85,000, and he remains incarcerated. The two Sherman men with him received charges of Possession of Marijuana less than two ounces, and both bailed out on Surety Bonds of $1,500 the following day.

October 12 — Police were called by a driver who reported a reckless driver on U.S. 75. The reporting caller described the errant vehicle and said it had a hard time maintaining lanes. Hayslip said police located the car and they, too, saw it weaving back and forth. They initiated a traffic stop. While talking with the officers, Hayslip said, the female driver, admitted to them that she had Heroine in her purse. Police searched it and found loaded syringes. They also found a small amount of Fentanyl in the purse, also.

Police jailed the suspect, a Savoy resident, on charges of Manufacture/Delivery of a Controlled Substance Over 4 Gram -PG 1 and of Possession of Controlled Substance less than 1 Gram, both felony charges.

Bail was set at the jail at a total of $13,500, which she posted the following day in surety bonds for her release.

Theft of Property — On Oct. 12, police investigated the theft of a catalytic converter. Hayslip said this was taken from a residence in the 600 block of Williams Way.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation and return of the stolen item to its rightful owner is urged to call the Police Station at 903-482-5251. The dispatcher can connect the caller with the right officer.

Other arrests — Police arrested numerous others, mostly the results of traffic stops, since October 1, including:

• Denison man on a Grayson County warrant charging him with Tamper/Fabricate with Physical Evidence with Intent to Impair;
• Sherman man on Grayson County warrants charging him with Failure to Appear on previous DWI and Assault causing Injury;
• Van Alstyne man on a Grayson County warrant charging him with Theft of Property between $100-$750;
• Van Alstyne man on a charge of Driving While Intoxicated;
• Sherman man on a Collin County warrant charging him with Graffiti causing Pecuniary Loss between $100-$750.