A search of a Silver Spring man’s car and residence turned up more than 2,000 fentanyl pills this week, according to Montgomery County Police.
Police stated that Markus Carter, 20, was driving a silver Mercedes sedan in violation of his learner’s permit along the 12300 block of Georgia Avenue around 3:15 p.m.
A search of his vehicle led officers to locate 250 fentanyl pills and other drug-related items, police said in a news release. A search of Carter’s person also led officers to discover additional fentanyl pills, valued at over $1,100, as well as a loaded .45 caliber handgun, police stated.
Officers obtained a search warrant for Carter’s residence and found an additional 1,800 suspected fentanyl pills, as well as more dollars and items used for drug distribution, police said.
Police said Carter has been charged with multiple offenses that include the illegal possession of a firearm, and possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute.
He is being held without bond at the county’s Central Processing Unit, according to the release. An 18-year-old and a 20-year-old who were also in the car when the traffic stop occurred were released without charges, the police department stated.
This drug arrest comes after numerous concerns raised over the growing spread of fentanyl use among juveniles in Montgomery County. Five students died from opioid overdoses since the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, according to county officials.
Data from the Montgomery County Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit showed that while overall drug overdoses in Montgomery County fell by 21% since 2021, youth and adolescent overdoses increased by 78% in 2022.
In January 2022, 16-year-old Landen Hausman from Walt Whitman High School was found dead at his family home after overdosing on a fentanyl-laced counterfeit Percocet pill. Police later charged and arrested 23-year-old Silver Spring resident Mikiyas “Mick” Kefalew for allegedly selling Hausman the drugs that killed him.
In December, MCPS issued an urgent message warning families of the rising trends in fentanyl-related overdoses. In response to the incidents, the MCPS and other officials have been organizing community forums throughout the county, with the latest held last Saturday at Northwood High School.
“This traffic stop is an example of excellent work by our 4th District officers. Last year, we lost over 80 members of our community to fatal drug overdoses. This year, we have already lost over 20,” said Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones said in an official statement in the release, “The Drug Enforcement Administration frequently warns ‘one pill can kill,’ Here, we have one arrest with over 2,000 pills seized.”
According to Jones, the traffic stop on Carter “saved lives” in the community.
“Fentanyl overdoses, not to mention the violence associated with drug sales and firearms, are a danger to our entire community, and I commend the work of our 4th District officers and Special Investigations Detectives on their work in this case,” Jones stated.
Court records did not list specific attorney information for Carter.
