BERLIN – The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office has hired its first heroin coordinator, funded by a state grant, to collect data on the area’s drug epidemic.
Tim Sponaugle will be responsible for analyzing drug intelligence from crime scenes and cell phone data, and will act as a conduit between the department’s Criminal Enforcement Team and the state.
Sponaugle, a retired FBI special agent, worked in the Salisbury offices for several years before taking this new position.
“I have had the good fortune of working with departments all over the region,” Sponaugle says. “I recognize the nature of the situation in the area, and I am anxious to play my part and help the community.”
Sgt. Nate Passwaters of the Sheriff’s Office says his task force responds to every overdose case in the county in order to collect intelligence.
Often, this intelligence requires using the suspect’s cellphone to target dealers and other criminals.
“There is so much data, that his job will allow investigators to actually investigate,” Passwaters says.
The Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention released a grant for a heroin coordinator position with the purpose of collecting data on all related drug trafficking incidences.
The information will then be placed into a central database, overseen by the state and its partner, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program (HIDTA).
Passwaters worked directly with Drug Court Coordinator Tracy Simpson to write the grant application and sought the help of Delegate Mary Beth Carozza, Sen. Jim Mathias and Worcester County State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby for their support.
In June, the county commissioners approved the application, and the request was sent to the state.
“Our county commissioners are committed to doing their part and were willing and upfront about giving us the support we need,” Passwaters says. “This wasn’t about party lines. This was about supporting a community.”
Mathias says the group found no resistance to their request and received support from the community.
“When you work with people and build a dialogue with them, they can be helpful,” Mathias says. “They know money is finite, but they see how hard we are working down here.”
In August, Gov. Larry Hogan announced the state would provide less than $1 million in funding to hire heroin coordinators in every region.
The coordinator grant was a part of recommendations from the state’s Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force to create a position for data collection.
“Sharing and analyzing this data across jurisdictions will make it easier for law enforcement to identify drug traffickers,” the press release says.
Sponaugle is now approaching his third week working with the task force and has begun to sort through the data.
“I am currently looking at what is already available and who else is collecting data,” Sponaugle says. “Hopefully in my position, I will be able to take some administrative burden off the task force.”
Sponaugle will also join Passwaters in community outreach efforts as a part of his duties.
In his first three weeks, Sponaugle says he has met with the Worcester County Health Department director, Atlantic General Hospital representatives, the Worcester County Warriors Against Opiate Addiction members, along with other politicians and officials.
Currently, the grant allows Sponaugle a one-year position with the Sheriff’s Office, but the grant could be extended depending on the circumstances.
However, Passwaters says the department will not know until next summer.
“He is definitely a great resource and we are fortunate to have him come on board with us,” Passwaters says. “What we see is encouraging.”
The coordinator is currently in the process of analyzing spreadsheets on the county’s heroin intelligence data and is looking into reformatting the collective process.
Sponaugle worked with the intelligence department of the FBI for three years and has investigated federal crimes and drug operations for nearly 22 years.
“I am still in a transition phase,” Sponaugle said. “I am very much looking forward to working with and meeting different folks.”
