Shinnamon
A Franklin man was arrested on three charges of narcotics dealing after an investigation that uncovered fake oxycodone pills.
Gary M. Shinnamon II, 38, was arrested on three charges of narcotics dealing and one count of operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic violator.
The Johnson County Prosecutor’s office will decide what, if any, charges to file.
Detectives with Johnson County Sheriff’s Office conducted a drug investigation and individuals involved with the investigation were sold pills that were made to look like oxycodone three times by Shinnamon in Franklin, according to the police report.
The pills were light blue and stamped with “30 M” like a typical oxycodone pill, but the pill was actually fentanyl pressed into the shape of an oxycodone pill, the report says.
Shinnamon allegedly sold the pills to individuals involved with the investigation twice in May and on Oct. 20, the report says.
He was arrested on charges of dealing narcotics as Level 3, 4 and 5 felonies, based on the weight of pills that were purchased during the two instances of dealing and the amount that Shinnamon had on his person during the October incident. On the day Shinnamon was arrested he had more than 8 grams of pills on his person, the report says.
Fake oxycodone is a national trend. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency issued a public safety alert on the sharp increase of pressed pills like those allegedly sold by Shinnamon.
Over 9.5 million counterfeit pills have been seized by law enforcement this year from all 50 states, the public safety advisory says.
The DEA said the faked pills are “killing unsuspecting Americans at an unprecedented rate.” The pills seized contained at least two milligrams of fentanyl, which is a potentially lethal dose, the advisory says.
Not just oxycodone is being faked. The DEA says hydrocodone, alprazolam and amphetamines are also being faked by criminal organizations. Most of the fake pills brought into the U.S. are manufactured in Mexico, with ingredients from China, the advisory says.
Anyone making a purchase of these drugs from an unauthorized dealer could potentially be purchasing fentanyl or methamphetamine and could overdose from just one pill, the DEA says.
Drugs sold at pharmacies are safe from this trend, as they come directly from drug manufacturers. The public safety advisory only applies to purchases from unauthorized distributors such as drug dealers.
