3
"OUR INTENT TODAY IS TO TAKE
DOWN THE HEROIN DEALER WE'VE
BEEN INVESTIGATING."
3
BEEN DEALER WE'VE BEEN
INVESTIGATING."
3
"YOU GUYS CAN TAKE HIM RIGHT
HERE."
3
"COME HERE. COME IN. NOW."
3
"SáááT.... ALRIGHT.. HE'S
FLEEING. JUST PUSHED ááá CAR
OUT OF THE WAY."
3
MARLEE:..HEROIN BUY -
3
BUSTED. THIS FELON WASN'T
GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT -
BUT NEITHER WAS THE DRUG TEAM
THAT'S BATTLING THE DEADLY
OPOIDS FLOWING ON OUR
STREETS.. INTO OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOMES.
3
BRIAN:..TONIGHT - WE'RE NOT
JUST TELLING YOU ABOUT THE
THREAT- WE'RE TAKING YOU TO
THE TRENCHES OF THE WAR ON
HEROIN AND PRESCRIPTION
PAINKILLERS.MARLEE:..KENT
COUNTY'S VICE TEAM GAVE TARGET
8 INVESTIGATOR SUSAN SAMPLES
EXCLUSIVE, UNPRECEDENTED
ACCESS TO AN OPERATION..
3
SUSAN:..THIS TIRELESS TEAM
KNOWN AS KANET - PREFERS TO
TOIL QUIETLY - UNDERCOVER - IN
A SHADOWY WORLD THEY HOPE
YOU'LL NEVER VISIT. BUT THE
EPIDEMIC THEY'RE FIGHTING HAS
BECOME SO DEADLY - THE TEAM
ALLOWED TARGET 8 TO ROLL WITH
THEM - TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THE
OPIOID PLAGUE - THE KILLER
AMONG US ..
3
"WE ARE SOUTHBOUND 131.. "IF
IT HASN'T HIT CLOSE TO HOME
FOR YOU...
3
"IT'S NOT SET IN ONE CERTAIN
COMMUNITY..."IT MIGHT BE THAT
YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR IT..
3
"IT'S HITTING EVERYBODY AND
ANYBODY FROM ALL DEMOGRAPHICS
TO ALL SOCIAL CLASSES.."ON
THIS DAY - THIS ONE BROAD
DAYLIGHT BUST HAD BROAD
REACH... THE CHASE THAT
RESULTED SNAKED THROUGH AN
APARTMENT COMPLEX...
3
"TONS OF PEOPLE LIVING HERE..
THOUSANDS.. TRAILER PARK...
ASSISTED LIVING CENTER... AND
FINALLY - STUDENT HOUSING.....
3
"WE'RE NOT ON CAMPUS
PROPERTY.. BUT OBVIOUSLY..
IT'S STUDENT HOUSING. VERY
CLEARLY IT'S STUDENT HOUSING."
3
"THAT'LL MAKE A LOT OF
PARENTS HAPPY... NO."IN ALL -
THE OPERATION STRETCHED 24
MILES ACROSS TWO COUNTIES TO
NET ONE HEROIN DEALER.
3
"HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT
KNOWING THAT YOU'RE PUTTING
THESE DRUGS IN PEOPLE'S HANDS
AND IT COULD KILL THEM?"TARGET
8 GRILLED THE DEALER IN THE
INTERROGATION ROOM-- BACK TO
THAT IN A
MINUTE. "YOU GUYS GOT A VISUAL
ON HIM.." WE STARTED THE DAY A
DOZEN MILES SOUTH OF GRAND
RAPIDS IN GAINES TOWNSHIP...
3
"HE'S A KNOWN USER.."
WATCHING AND
WAITING.. "THE DEALER CHANGES
UP RIDES ALL THE TIME SO WE'RE
NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT HE'S
GOING TO SHOW UP IN TODAY."
3
"WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON AS
SOON AS HE GETS IN JUST
ROLLING HIM
THEN?"
3
"ACTUALLY, I LIKE THAT A LOT."
3
"ALRIGHT, I'M GOING TO GET IN
A BETTER SPOT."
3
"WE HAVE A TEAM THAT'S
THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE AREA
THAT'S KEEPING EYES ON HIM AT
EVERY ANGLE."THE TEAM IS
KEEPING EYES OUT - TOO - FOR
INNOCENT BYSTANDERS IN THIS
MASSIVE APARTMENT COMPLEX...
"THE MOM'S OBVIOUSLY TAKING
THE TRASH OUT, AND THIS GIRL'S
JUST KIND OF WALKING AROUND
OUTSIDE - AT HOME.. SHE'S IN
THE SAFETY OF HOME.. YOU KNOW
THIS IS WHERE THEY LIVE... AND
THEY HAVE NO IDEA THE POLICE
ARE OUT HERE AND WE HAVE A
KNOWN USER WAITING FOR HIS
DEALER TO SHOW UP TO BUY
HEROIN.. " MINUTES LATER..
POSITION CHANGE..
3
"ALRIGHT WE'RE GONNA MOVE.."
PUBLIC SAFETY IS PRIORITY..
3
"IN CASE WE GOTTA RIP OUT OF
HERE.. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE A
CHANCE WITH THESE KIDS RIGHT
HERE." LT. AL ROETMAN OVERSEES
THE KENT AREA NARCOTICS
ENFORCEMENT TEAM.. KANET IS
MADE UP OF DETECTIVES FROM
FIVE POLICE AGENCIES - THE
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, EAST
GRAND RAPIDS, GRANDVILLE,
WALKER AND WYOMING.
3
"OUR NUMBER ONE FOCUS AT
KANET IS THE HEROIN
EPIDEMIC.." "(BECAUSE THAT'S
WHAT'S KILLING PEOPLE) BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT'S KILLING
PEOPLE..." ROETMAN SAYS IT WAS
A NEAR-FATAL OVERDOSE THAT LED
TO THIS BUST..
3
"WE'RE CLOSE HERE."
3
"STAY
LOW.." "OH... THERE HE IS...
" "HE'S RIGHT THERE..
" "S1 JUST ROLLED UP AND
MOTIONED FOR HIM TO WALK UP.."
3
"HEY I GOT VISUAL ON IT. HE
PULLED RIGHT INTO A PARKING
SPOT. YOU CAN BOX HIM IN. HE
CAN'T GET OUT.."OR SO THEY
THOUGHT...
3
"YOU GUYS CAN TAKE HIM RIGHT
HERE IF YOU GUYS WANT HIM...
" "COME IN. COME IN. NOW.
" "SHáT.. ALRIGHT.. HE'S
FLEEING. JUST PUSHED áááá'S
CAR OUT OF THE WAY."THE
DEALER'S NEXT PLAY CAUGHT IN
THE CORNER OF A DETECTIVE'S
DASHCAM...
3
"THAT'S HIM .. THAT'S HIM..."
HIS MERCEDES SUV CAREENED OVER
A BOULDER.. BUSTED THROUGH A
SIGN... BOLTED OUT OF THE
COMPLEX.. AND TORE THROUGH A
TRAILER PARK..
3
"HE'S FLEEING.. BUT WATCH
YOURSELF.. WATCH YOURSELF." AT
THAT POINT - KANET PROBABLY
WOULD HAVE CALLED THE CHASE
ANYWAY TO PROTECT THE
PUBLIC... BUT THE DEALER
DITCHED FIRST..
3
"HE'S RUNNING ON FOOT.. HE'S
ON FOOT... HE'S RUNNING OVER
TO THE NURSING HOME RIGHT
ACROSS THE STREET..."
3
"YOU SEE A HEAVY SET BLACK
MALE RUN THROUGH HERE?"YES -
THE FOLKS AT THE ASSISTED
LIVING CENTER AT EASTERN AND
60TH DID HAPPEN TO NOTICE THE
HALF-NAKED MAN .. HIDING IN
THEIR PARKING LOT.
3
"WHAT HAPPENED...
" "WE'RE GONNA ROLL YOU OVER
ON THIS KNEE...
" "HEY, WHY ARE YOU DEALING
HEROIN IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS?
I'M NOT. YOU'RE NOT DEALING
HEROIN? WE JUST WATCHED YOU."
MEET 22 YEAR OLD HARRY
CHILDRESS THE THIRD..
3
"WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY TO
THE FAMILIES WHO ARE
DEVASTATED BY HEROIN.. WHAT DO
YOU WANT TO TELL THE
FAMILIES.. WOULD YOU DEAL TO
YOUR FAMILY?"
3
WATCH YOUR
KNEE... "GOOD
JOB." "LET'S GET HIM
DOWNTOWN.." "DOOR SLAM" LATER-
THE TEAM TOOK OFF FOR THE
APARTMENT CHILDRESS SHARES
WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND..
3
"WE'RE HEADING INTO OTTAWA
COUNTY.."WHICH HAPPENS TO BE
RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM
GVSU'S ALLENDALE CAMPUS..
3
"ALRIGHT."
3
"THAT'S HOW CLOSE IT IS TO A
LARGE UNIVERSITY.." ONCE
INSIDE - THE TEAM IMMEDIATELY
FINDS MORE SUSPECTED
HEROIN.. "THAT IS A DECENT
AMOUNT.."...PRESCRIPTION
PILLS, A
SCALE.. "HEY, COME HERE A
SECOND.. AND IN A
CLOSET.. "THIS IS WHAT I'M
TALKING ABOUT THE PROCEEDS YOU
FIND FROM DRUG DEALING..."
3
"DO YOU TYPICALLY HAVE CASH
IN YOUR COAT HANGING IN A
CLOSET.."
3
"2,940
DOLLARS.." "A GOOD HIT.."
THAT'S BECAUSE CONFISCATING
CASH - AND ANY OTHER DRUG
PROCEEDS - HITS DEALERS WHERE
IT REALLY HURTS...
3
"THAT'S THEIR
PAYCHECK.." "WHAT'S ADDICTING
IS HAVING MONEY..."THAT'S THE
SAME, STILL SHIRTLESS GUY WHO
- A COUPLE HOURS EARLIER - HAD
NO IDEA WHAT I WAS TALKING
ABOUT..
3
"YOU KNOW HEROIN IS KILLING
PEOPLE HERE. I DIDN'T DO
NOTHING TO
NOBODY." "WHY'D YOU RUN IN THE
FIRST PLACE? I PANICKED AND
GOT A LITTLE SCARED.. THOUGHT
I COULD GET AWAY.. BUT IT
WASN'T MY DAY.. " THE 22 YEAR
OLD'S CRIMINAL RECORD SUGGESTS
IT HASN'T BEEN HIS DAY SINCE
HIS LATE TEENS..THAT'S WHEN HE
STARTED RACKING UP FELONY
CHARGES FOR WEAPONS, STOLEN
PROPERTY AND DRUGS..
3
"SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO RISK
FREEDOM SO YOU CAN HAVE
SOMETHING." CHILDRESS IS FROM
GRAND RAPIDS AND SAYS HE GREW
UP IN A STABLE, TWO-PARENT
HOME.. BUT DIDN'T HAVE MUCH.HE
SAYS THE REASON HE'S WILLING
TO RISK ARREST.. AND GAMBLE
THAT HIS PRODUCT WON'T
KILL... "I'M THINKING IT'S FOR
LOVE OF MONEY... PEOPE LIKE
SEEING MONEY AND HAVING
MONEY.. " CHILDRESS ADMITS HE
HAS NO IDEA WHAT'S REALLY IN
THE HEROIN HE SELLS... SAYS HE
DOESN'T USE HIMSELF. AS FOR
FAMILIES DEVASTATED BY
ADDICTION... CHILDRESS SAYS HE
FEELS SORRY FOR THEM.. BUT IF
HE DIDN'T SELL HEROIN - THEY'D
JUST GET IT FROM SOMEONE
ELSE.. HE ADMITS HE DOES FEEL
SOME GUILT - BUT WHEN I ASKED
HIM HOW HE CAN SLEEP AT
NIGHT..
3
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY..
I'M LOST ON THAT ONE."BUT HE
DOES HAVE ADVICE FOR FUTURE,
POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS..
3
"DON'T DO THAT. LEAVE IT
ALONE. IT WILL FááK YOUR LIFE
OVER FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
AND YOU WILL HURT A LOT OF
FAMILY MEMBERS.. AND
YOURSELF" "WE'VE COVERED A LOT
OF MILES JUST TODAY...
(CHASING THE HEROIN) CHASING
THE
HEROIN..." "ONE LESS DRUG
DEALER IS OPERATING IN THE
KENT COUNTY GREATER AREA. SO
TODAY'S A SUCCESS. HE'S BEEN
PUT OUT OF BUSINESS TODAY.
TODAY. TODAY."
3
HARRY CHILDRESS
3
REMAINS IN THE KENT COUNTY
JAIL TONIGHT.. ONCE HE CAME
CLEAN WITH DETETECTIVES IN THE
INTERIEW ROOM AT THE SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT - THEY ASKED ME IF
I WANTED TO TALK TO HIM...
WHICH IS WHY I HAD THAT CHANCE
TO QUESTION HIM.. TOMORROW AT
11 - WE GO INSIDE THE
DESPERATE WORLD OF OPIOID
ADDICTION - THROUGH THE LENSE
OF A CAMERA THAT DOCUMENTED
ONE WOMAN'S DOWNWARD SPIRAL..
I'M TARGET 8 INVESTIGATOR
SUSAN SAMPLES.