Police charge 38 in heroin raids

For a list and police mugshots of all those arrested in Operation Medicine Man, see Wednesday's News & Messenger.

DUMFRIES, Va. -- A man who was taken from a Dumfries home in handcuffs Tuesday morning had some choice words for the media and police.

"Turn that (expletive) camera off, get it out of my face,” said the unidentified man in a black T-shirt and sweatpants. “Keep smiling because it’s really (expletive) funny."

He and two others inside the home at 17651 Rose Hill Circle in Dumfries were taken to jail as part of Operation Medicine Man — the culmination of a month long investigation into what police call a growing problem of heroin use among teenagers and young adults in Prince William County.

The investigation targeted those distributing heroin, prescription drugs and other illegal narcotics. Officers on Tuesday morning raided at least eight homes and netted at least 38 arrests, police said. All were charged with felony drug distribution.

As they did in all of Tuesday’s arrests, police sought a search warrant to enter the two-story Dumfries home, and did so just after 11 a.m.

After searching the main portion of the house, officers walked to a shed in the back yard, protective shields in hand, ready to kick down the door.

“Police!” an officer shouted. “Search warrant!”

The officers — wearing camouflage or utility vests, badges and jeans — ripped the door from its hinges as soon as they battered it down.

Less than an hour later, Ryan A. Karlstromer, 22, and Karen Rachel Knapp, 20, were charged with drug distribution. Knapp was taken away in a police cruiser, along with the unidentified man who was shouting obscenities.

Police said he was charged with marijuana possession.

Karlstromer sat on his concrete stoop wearing a football jersey and holding his head in his hands while he spoke with police.

“We are seeing more young people develop an addiction to heroin, and most times it starts when the person begins using prescription drugs, such as Oxycontin,” said Prince William police 1st Sgt. Dan Hess. “Many prescription drugs are time released, meaning that when someone takes it the contents of the drug release inside the body over time. But when they snort or shoot a prescription drug, they get that immediate release. When they run out of the prescription drug, they turn to heroin, which provides a similar effect."

Heroin is usually less expensive and it easier to obtain than prescription drugs, Hess said.

Inside the Dumfries house, police said they found heroin and prescription drugs — some of which were sold by to an undercover police officer, said Hess.
Earlier on Tuesday, at 8:50 a.m., police raided a home with children inside, at 15938 Donald Curtis Drive in Woodbridge, four houses up from a police station on the same street. There authorities said they found more drugs, and charged Kathy Anne Williams, 49, with drug distribution charges.

Others at the home were issued summonses for possession of marijuana, said Hess.

Neighbors said when you live next to a police station you get used to seeing multiple police cars, but some said witnessing a drug bust so close to the police station is unusual.

“My grandmother has lived in this home since the 60s, and I have lived here for about two years, and I have never seen the police do anything like this here,” said Barry McCaslin, 29.

He said he often noticed a lot of people coming and going from the house, and said he would occasionally see children at the home, but added the occupants of the home were never noisy.

In addition to heroin and prescription drugs, investigators said they also found cocaine, anabolic steroids, marijuana and guns.

Investigators said undercover officers were key in helping to identify who was selling the heroin, and prescription drugs. During the investigation, police said undercover officers made at least 50 purchases of heroin and prescription medication.

In addition to the houses raided in Dumfries and Woodbridge arrests were also made Tuesday in Dale City, Lake Ridge, Manassas, Nokesville and Springfield.

Authorities said it is unlikely the alleged drug distributors are connected, but rather the work of individual distributors working on their own.

Earlier this year, an interstate heroin distribution ring was uncovered in Prince William County. Police say it was partially dismantled with the arrests and prosecutions of the leaders in federal and state courts. Officer then began undercover drug buys, leading to Tuesday’s operation.

Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.