Suspected Opioid Dealer Arrested In Howard County: Police

JESSUP, MD — Police arrested a suspected dealer for distribution of opioids and other drugs in Howard County.

As part of an ongoing investigation, narcotics detectives identified Alexis Escobar, 34, of Cheverly, as a suspect in the distribution of drugs around the county. Police obtained a search warrant from a judge for Escobar's car, a 2006 Toyota Prius, police said.

When officers located the car in the 8700 block of Washington Blvd. in Jessup, they saw him engaged in what appeared to be a drug sale, police said. Officers approached the Toyota and found quantities of various drugs in the car and on Escobar, police said.

Police suspect Escobar was selling Oxycodone, Xanax, cocaine, buprenorphine and marijuana, but are awaiting test results to determine the exact nature of the drugs, police said. Police are also investigating whether the drugs contained fentanyl, "a synthetic opioid more potent than morphine or heroin," police said.

Undercover narcotics detectives have determined that some pills being sold on the street in Howard County as Oxycodone have contained fentanyl, but it is not yet determined whether that applies in this case.

Escobar was charged Tuesday and released from the Howard County Detention Center on $75,000 bond.

Patch File Photo