Fentanyl

2022 - 9 - 20

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Image courtesy of "NBC News"

Country singer Luke Bell died of an accidental fentanyl overdose ... (NBC News)

Bell was found dead in a shaded area of a parking lot in Tucson, Arizona, on Aug. 26 with drug paraphernalia, according to officials.

A passerby found Bell, 32, the singer of “Where Ya Been?” dead in a shaded area of a parking lot in Tucson, Arizona, on Aug. He released a self-titled debut album in 2012 and described his sound as “a little bit honky tonk and a little bit Texas, with healthy dashes of Bakersfield and vintage Nashville,” per the bio. Drug paraphernalia was also found at the scene.

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Image courtesy of "Today.com"

Country Singer Luke Bell Died of Accidental Fentanyl Overdose ... (Today.com)

Country singer Luke Bell's cause of death was revealed by the Pima County Medical Examiner's Office in Arizona on Monday. He died of an accidental fentanyl ...

The downside, in some ways, is I don’t have a wife and kids, but at the same time, it’s pretty ideal right now,” he said. The singer also told the site that his ability to focus on the positive helped him to continue to stick to his dream. “I live in the day, and I count smiles. “It was a very different route to take; there aren’t any musicians in my family,” he said. Luke had a gentle heart, a wanderer’s spirit and a musical gift that he was fortunate to share with us and the world,” Bell’s loved ones told NBC News in a statement on Sept. Luke was supported through his disease by a community of loving family and friends.

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Image courtesy of "Minnesota Public Radio News"

Drug Task Force agents find 'rainbow' fentanyl (Minnesota Public Radio News)

Rainbow” fentanyl was found for the first time in southern Minnesota during an execution of a search warrant last week.

He said that it’s unknown currently if there’s a difference in concentration of fentanyl for the rainbow pills. “We just want to let them know that ‘hey, it’s here.’ The taskforce found some rainbow fentanyl pills, which means, if we found three of them, then there’s got to be tons more in the area and the state.” Numbers for fentanyl seized in southern Minnesota have increased. All the fentanyl pills that were seized before were blue. “When we talk to the public about how these blue pills are so dangerous and to stay away from these blue pills, now they’re coming in all kinds of different colors,” said Lt. Friday’s seizure was the first time task force agents encountered the brightly colored pills that Drug Enforcement Administration officials say can be mistaken for candy.

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Image courtesy of "FOX 7 Austin"

DEA warns of 'rainbow fentanyl' used to target young children (FOX 7 Austin)

The DEA has issued alerts after recent suspected overdoses and deaths involving fentanyl in children in Hays County.

According to the DEA, the rainbow colors could lead children to mistake them for candy and make them more appealing to young people. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid approved for treating severe pain with a prescription. [dshs.texas.gov/estb/poison/overdose](http://dshs.texas.gov/estb/poison/overdose). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Texas, the incidence of fentanyl-related deaths has climbed sharply, with 214 deaths attributed to fentanyl in 2018 and 1,672 fentanyl-related deaths in 2021 according to provisional data. It takes much less for someone, including children, to overdose or die. [Fentanyl-related overdose deaths prompt agencies to form task force](https://www.fox7austin.com/news/fentanyl-related-overdose-deaths-hays-county) [Fourth Hays CISD student dies from fentanyl overdose, autopsy reports](https://www.fox7austin.com/news/hays-cisd-student-fentanyl-overdose) [Fentanyl a 'crisis' in Hays County due to rising number of overdoses, officials say](https://www.fox7austin.com/news/fentanyl-crisis-overdoses-rising-hays-county-texas)

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Image courtesy of "KEYC"

BCA: 'Rainbow' fentanyl in Mankato the first found in the state (KEYC)

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension confirmed that 'rainbow' fentanyl pills found in Mankato last week were the first ever seized in Minnesota.

“They’re bright colors and they might not look as dangerous. “These pills are extremely dangerous no matter what color they are, and they can easily kill several people with just one pill,” Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force Lt. “They were at his apartment.

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Image courtesy of "HD Daily News"

Police say 'candy' fentanyl has hit the street in the High Desert (HD Daily News)

Dubbed “rainbow fentanyl” on various news outlets, this trend appears to be a new method used by drug cartels to sell highly addictive and potentially deadly ...

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Image courtesy of "WUFT"

No evidence that widely circulated report is true about fentanyl ... (WUFT)

Gainesville and UF police departments confirmed this week they were aware of the report – spread widely over social media and word of mouth in classrooms and on ...

The department said both its officers were recovering and had been released from the hospital. The claim surfaced just weeks after two Gainesville police officers were treated with Narcan after they began experiencing symptoms of exposure to an unidentified opioid such as fentanyl within a few hours of a drug arrest on Aug. University police said that regardless whether the attack happened as claimed, students should be careful to watch their drinks, cover their drinks, not leave drinks unattended and take steps to remove themselves from any uncomfortable or threatening situations. She said she shared a copy to make her friends aware of the need to stay safe while enjoying Gainesville’s nightlife. Latrell Simmons said the department also has been unable to identify any such victim and said detectives were investigating. The manager said the purported victim likely would have collapsed and died immediately if the amount of fentanyl described was accurate.

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Image courtesy of "WAFB"

EBR deputies investigate more than 150 fentanyl overdoses this year (WAFB)

East Baton Rouge Sheriff's deputies are hitting the streets to try to get dangerous drugs out of the wrong hands.

“If you look at like just a little sugar packet of sweet and low or whatever, that’s one gram. They do a lot of what they call control buys of these drugs from individuals,” EBRSO spokeswoman Casey Hicks said. “Anytime that you’re buying drugs on the street, you don’t know what you’re getting.

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Image courtesy of "Cowboy State Daily"

Tucson Police May Charge Luke Bell's Fentanyl Supplier With ... (Cowboy State Daily)

Bell died of fentanyl poisoning six days after he went missing and was found by a passerby, deceased in a parking garage, according to Tucson authorities. His ...

Hearn added that many fentanyl users are taking the drug intentionally. “At least every other day.” Dallas Hearn of the Tucson Police Department told Cowboy State Daily on Tuesday. He was a Wyoming-raised country music singer and songwriter who crooned after the style of Buck Owens and Hank Williams. Like a face-to-face contact.” “We might not have any leads on the phone (because) he might have just run into somebody he purchased fentanyl from.

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Image courtesy of "Arizona Daily Star"

Fentanyl cited in country singer Luke Bell's death in Tucson (Arizona Daily Star)

The 32-year-old country singer was found dead in midtown Tucson last month after he was reported missing.

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Image courtesy of "WDBJ7"

EARLY YEARS: Roanoke Valley authorities warning parents and ... (WDBJ7)

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Colorful tablets being distributed by drug traffickers might look like candy, but they're actually known as “rainbow fentanyl.”.

“What’s dangerous about that now is all these things are pressed with fentanyl. I just need something, and they can easily get it through Snapchat,” says Hans. We’re trying to fight a forest fire with a fire extinguisher. “It is very normal if things are going on in your life, that you think you need a pill to fix, when you really need a conversation,” says Hans. “We talk about it in law enforcement all the time. “If you get a pill off the street now, you can almost bet -- 99 percent sure it’s going to be fentanyl,” says Crowder.

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Image courtesy of "Economic Times"

'Rainbow Fentanyl': DEA warns about dangerous drug after ... (Economic Times)

A new, colourful form of fentanyl is being sold in the illicit drug market, called "multi-coloured fentanyl" or "rainbow fentanyl". The DEA has issued ...

The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). In at least 18 states, [DEA](/topic/dea)agents have seized rainbow-coloured fentanyl pills. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is approved for treating severe pain with a prescription. Answer:- When misused, it is fifty times stronger than heroin and a hundred times more potent than morphine. When misused, fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, making it effective in pain relief. Answer:- Synthetic Fentanyl is used as pain medication.

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Image courtesy of "SELF"

What Is Rainbow Fentanyl? DEA Warns of Dangerous Pills That ... (SELF)

Synthetic opioid fentanyl is being packaged to resemble candy. Dubbed “rainbow” fentanyl, the pills are being used to attract young people.

In May, the deaths of two Ohio State University students prompted the school to [warn of fentanyl-laced Adderall](https://www.self.com/story/ohio-state-university-student-deaths-fentanyl), as SELF previously reported. The director of Penn State’s Health Promotion and Wellness program emphasized this in the university’s recent warning to students: “Unless a drug is prescribed by a licensed medical professional and dispensed by a legitimate pharmacy, you can’t know if it’s fake or legitimate.” There’s no way to tell what, exactly, is in a drug that has not been recommended to you by a health care provider. Because of this, it’s crucial to recognize the [Pennsylvania State University](https://www.psu.edu/news/student-affairs/story/penn-state-students-cautioned-brightly-colored-rainbow-fentanyl/) and [some school districts in Florida](https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2022/09/14/florida-schools-law-enforcement-warn-candy-colored-rainbow-fentanyl/), are now warning students and their families about the risks of rainbow fentanyl. [up to 100 times](https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/fentanyl.html) more potent than morphine—may be hiding in plain sight.

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Image courtesy of "KOLD"

'Rainbow fentanyl' on Tucson streets, police warn parents to be on ... (KOLD)

Tucson police Capt. John Leavitt said thousands of fentanyl pills are found on the streets daily, and about one of every 10 busts involve "rainbow fentanyl.

... It’s ridiculous, but our community has accepted that, and now the illicit drug dealers that are making fentanyl are following that. It’s just incredibly dangerous and frustrating for us,” Brooks said. “They want to make money, that’s what they want to do. They want to increase their sales. “It’s ridiculous. “We’ve seized an unlimited supply of pills.

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Image courtesy of "Idaho County Free Press"

What is fentanyl? (Idaho County Free Press)

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin. A 3-milligram dose of fentanyl ...

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Image courtesy of "Atmore News"

The toll of the fentanyl crisis - Atmore News (Atmore News)

The statistics are alarming – fentanyl overdoses are now the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45. On August 21, we recognized National Fentanyl ...

I’ve been to the border, and our agents there are simply overwhelmed and understaffed. It’s coming across the southern border and moving in every direction into every community in this country. I carry a packet of sweetener in my wallet and use it as an illustration every time I talk to folks about the drugs coming across the border. Someone in the United States dies every 7.5 minutes from fentanyl poisoning. Whether it’s a family member or a friend, nearly all of us know somebody who has been affected by it. The pill was laced with fentanyl and killed Carson instantly.

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Image courtesy of "WMNF"

A multi-pronged approach to the fentanyl epidemic (WMNF)

In the heat of the current fentanyl epidemic, an average of 30 people die from drug overdoses every week in the Tampa Bay Region.

[75,000](https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm) Americans died from overdose of synthetic opioids, mainly fentanyl, in the 12-month period ending in February 2022, according to the CDC. According to [LIVE Tampa Bay](https://livetampabay.org/), an average of 30 people die from drug overdoses each week in the Tampa Bay area and 34 people in the area are resuscitated from overdoses with Narcan every single day. Fentanyl, in particular, is so deadly that in July, the Florida Department of Health issued a safety alert, advising the public how to identity and respond to a fentanyl overdose. [were](https://www.ussc.gov/research/datafiles/commission-datafiles)86.3 percent of convicted fentanyl drug traffickers—ten times greater than convictions of illegal immigrants for the same offense. [recent report](https://www.cato.org/blog/fentanyl-smuggled-us-citizens-us-citizens-not-asylum-seekers) from the libertarian Cato Institute disputes that notion with the following statistics: [WMNF WaveMakers](https://www.wmnf.org/events/wmnf-wavemakers/) wherever you listen to [podcasts](https://open.spotify.com/show/6ps6NraWGR6sOledYNnP30).

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Image courtesy of "FOX 5 DC"

Silver Spring man faces federal charges in fentanyl related death of ... (FOX 5 DC)

If convicted, Kefyalew faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death or serious bodily injury.

Officials also say a forensic analysis of the victim’s cell phone revealed several alleged conversations with Kefyalew that discussed meeting for a drug transaction. Authorities say suspected counterfeit pills were discovered in the victim’s room that tested positive for Fentanyl. [Silver Spring ](https://www.fox5dc.com/tag/us/md/montgomery-county/silver-spring)man faces life in prison in connection with the [fentanyl](https://www.fox5dc.com/tag/opioid-epidemic) related death of a 16-year-old.

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Image courtesy of "cleveland.com"

Thousands of fentanyl pills, other drugs found in Mentor-on-the-Lake ... (cleveland.com)

Authorities searched the home Friday as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation, police say. A K9 alerted agents to drugs found in several boxes in ...

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Image courtesy of "WFMJ"

Beloit woman sentenced for toddler's fentanyl overdose (WFMJ)

The sentence handed down by Judge Anthony D'Apolito was more severe than the nine-month sentence recommended by prosecutors.

She was later transferred to Akron Children’s Hospital where a social work reported seeing white powder on the toddler’s lips and hands. A rescue squad took the child to a hospital in Alliance. Police say the parents brought the toddler to the police department claiming the child may have taken a Percocet while at the couple’s recreational vehicle on Johnson Road.

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Image courtesy of "NBC Chicago"

Illinois Officials Warn of Colorful 'Rainbow Fentanyl' Reported in 18 ... (NBC Chicago)

The fentanyl has been found by law enforcement officials in 18 different states, with the vibrantly colored synthetic opioid appearing in the form of pills, ...

At the beginning of this month, Illinois health officials considered the alert to be at a "low" level and did not confirm at the time if any of the rainbow-colored fentanyl had been seized in the state. Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids contributed to two-thirds of America's 107,622 drug overdose deaths in 2021. Law enforcement officials speculate that this is a tactic to market the substance to children and teens.

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Image courtesy of "Los Angeles Times"

7th LAUSD teen overdoses from possible fentanyl-laced pills (Los Angeles Times)

A seventh LAUSD student has overdosed from pills possibly containing fentanyl after Bernstein High student Melanie Ramos died last week, LAPD says.

“We want to identify the purveyor. If there’s a student, then there’s an adult and a drug trade organization that’s engaged in the marketing and distribution.” “I’m angry that these kids had got ahold of these pills and decided to distribute them at school knowing what this can do to somebody. “It speaks to the impurities of street narcotics,” Moore said. The school district deferred to LAPD for updated details on the investigation. The boy was treated Saturday at a hospital for an overdose and is expected to survive, police said. “We want [the district] to take us into consideration. He described them as “crude blue M30 pills” believed to be counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and are produced by illicit labs as a substitute for Percocet. Apex Academy is an independent charter school that is also located on the Bernstein campus. Unified School District officials were notified about the latest student overdose sometime over the weekend. “I think we deserve to be informed. Her friend overdosed and was hospitalized.

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Bethlehem man pleads guilty to causing woman's fentanyl overdose ... (lehighvalleylive.com)

Tomas Jose Santos, of the the 1400 block of East Sixth Street, admitted to city police after his arrest that he delivered three blue pills to the woman on March ...

While the blue pills were disguised as the opioid painkiller oxycodone, Santos knew they were fentanyl, authorities said. [that death investigation](https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/2020/05/man-charged-with-causing-womans-overdose-death-police-say.html), Santos said he knew the pills were fentanyl, and that he knew the victim from high school and knew she struggled with an opioid addiction, the district attorney’s office said. The charge is a first-degree felony and Santos faces up to 20 years in prison and a $25,000 fine, records show. The woman was found dead the next day in her car parked near the store, the district attorney’s office said. Tomas Jose Santos, of the the 1400 block of East Sixth Street, admitted to city police after his arrest that he delivered three blue pills to the woman on March 28, 2020, at a convenience store in Bethlehem’s 700 block of East Broad Street, the district attorney’s office said in a news release. [delivering the fentanyl that killed a 30-year-old woman](https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/2020/05/man-charged-with-causing-womans-overdose-death-police-say.html) more than two years ago, the Northampton County District Attorney’s Office reports.

Silver Spring, Maryland Man Faces Federal Charges for Distribution ... (Department of Justice)

Greenbelt, Maryland – A criminal complaint has been filed charging Mikiyas Maryie Kefyalew, a/k/a “Mick”, age 24, of Silver Spring, Maryland, ...

Barron commended the DEA, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Rockville Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Metropolitan Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office for their assistance. In that case, law enforcement found a small blue pill stamped with the writing “M 30” within the baggie of marijuana located in a vehicle where Kefyalew was seated at the time of his arrest. If convicted, Kefyalew faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death or serious bodily injury. In August 2021, Kefyalew was issued a criminal citation for the possession of over 10 grams of marijuana. As stated in court documents, a witness advised law enforcement the victim purchased “percs” from an individual known as “Mick”. Additionally, the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner the victim’s cause of death to be a fentanyl overdose.

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Image courtesy of "Spectrum News"

Gov. Greg Abbott steps up statewide anti-fentanyl efforts (Spectrum News)

Abbott has ordered state agency leaders to buckle down on anti-fentanyl efforts to fight off the deadly opioid that's affecting Texas and the nation.

Agencies can coordinate with the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council to further amplify efforts.” “We must take all appropriate actions to inform Texans of this danger and prevent additional deaths. The fentanyl crisis has forced state leaders to step up its efforts in addressing the threat this drug poses to the community.

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