Sheriffs Office cracks down on drugs offenders

New statistics from the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention show Washington’s fatal drug overdose situation to have grown exponentially since previous years. This is the third time that the CDC has issued a report showing Washington State to have the highest percentage increase in deaths and crimes than any other state. 

Defense attorneys Criminal Defense analyzed data from the United States Sentencing Commission for the fiscal year 2022 to determine the categories of crimes for which each state receives the most sentences.

The categories of crime that have the highest sentencing rates per 100,000 in Washington are Drug Trafficking, Other, and Firearms.

Drug trafficking comes as the most sentenced crime, with a rate of 2.89 federal sentences per 100,000, reports show. 

“From my own experience in the last 3 or 4 years, everything from non enforcement of drug times and the way we almost disallow law enforcement from contact with juveniles that have really affected law enforcement,” said Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers. “We just have to work harder, and we are doing the best we can.”

The Blake ruling in 2021 declared Washington’s felony drug possession statute was unconstitutional because it criminalized possession even when a person did not knowingly have drugs. As a result, the Whitman County Sheriff's office was forced to cease efforts.

“Only about ten days ago were we able to legally charge people for illegal drug possession,” said Myers.  

In May 2023, legislation met in a one-day session to change the law. In creating “The Blake Fix,” a criminal’s drug offense before July 2023 was no longer considered in sentencing. Since the law took effect on July 1, police agencies have had more freedom to pursue drug-related crimes; however, the recent report from the CDC does not reflect a significant change.

“I think we are going to see a little improvement in Washington State,” Myers said.

According to a report from the CDC, Washington has seen a 28.4% increase in drug overdose deaths between March 2022 and March 2023 (up from 23.9% for the period between February 2022 and February 2023). 

“I can say for a fact that people who are committing property crimes, major assaults, and others typically fall into drug crimes. They almost go hand in hand,” Myers said.

However, the Whitman County Sheriff's Office is sending a message to drug offenders that they will not tolerate illicit and illegal drugs in the community. Myers noted that smaller counties, like Whitman County, are doing a great job.

“We have already had several people arrested and take it very seriously. We are using our discretion to book those people. We want to send a message that we will not tolerate hard drugs in this county,” added Myers. “We want to help people, and there are people who need that desperately and need to be incarcerated.”