A pair of Marietta residents were arrested Friday morning on drug charges after they were found in possession of a powerful opiate and syringes.
Russell S. Burkhammer Jr., 39, and Stacy Y. Lee, 41, were arrested by agents of the Major Crimes Task Force at Burkhammer's 1023 Third St., Marietta home following the execution of a search warrant at approximately 3 a.m. Friday.
The two appeared in Marietta Municipal Court Friday morning where bond was set at $15,000 on third-degree felony charges of tampering with drugs. A third-degree felony carries a maximum possible penalty of five years confinement.
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Burkhammer
Both Burkhammer and Lee have previously been arrested on drug related charges.
According to Marietta Municipal Court files, Burkhammer has 65 docket entries dating back to 1991 on charges ranging from traffic violations to possession of drug paraphernalia. Since 2010, Burkhammer has had 15 charges filed in Marietta Municipal Court.
"We've dealt with Russell Burkhammer before," said Marietta Police Capt. Jeff Waite.
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About the case
At 3 a.m. Friday morning a search warrant was executed by the Major Crimes Task Force at the home of Russell S. Burkhammer, 39, 1023 Third St., Marietta.
Burkhammer and Stacy Y. Lee, 41, were arrested and charged with a third-degree felony count of tampering with drugs.
The pair were arraigned Friday in Marietta Municipal Court and bond was set at $15,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
Source: Washington County Sheriff's Office.
Following execution of the search warrant, task force agents discovered a large quantity of syringes and empty Fentanyl patches on a dining room table of the Third Street home.
Lee had reportedly filled a prescription for 15 Fentanyl patches on Thursday, and only three of the patches remained, police said.
Under questioning, Lee admitted using the syringes found in the home to inject the Fentanyl, according to police.
Fentanyl is an opiate-based drug that can be used as treatment for people suffering from terminal cancer and is considered an extremely powerful drug, said Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks.
The two were considered significant targets, and are believed to be more than just addicts.
"We feel that they are allegedly involved in the narcotics business," Mincks said. "The stuff that they had there indicates that."
Along with the syringes, investigators also located a prescription bottle for Abilify containing nine blue pills and a straw that contained a powdery blue residue. The bottle was prescribed to Burkhammer and the pills were later identified as Adderall, police said.
Burkhammer was arrested for trafficking in drugs in April 2011, and has been charged with drug related offenses multiple times.
Lee was charged with four counts of possession of a Schedule II substance in September 2009. All four counts were later dismissed.
While the two were discovered in the home together, police were uncertain what the relationship is between the two.
The search warrant was conducted after multiple sources indicated to police that Burkhammer and Lee were possibly involved in the possession, use and distribution of drugs, Mincks said.
Additional charges could be forthcoming as the investigation is ongoing.
Both Burkhammer and Lee remained incarcerated at the Washington County Jail late Friday.
