JNET serves warrant, seizes evidence at Green Hill School after reports narcotics were distributed by staff member, overdoses not reported

Sep. 7—The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET) on Thursday announced an ongoing investigation at Green Hill School in Chehalis after tips alleging a staff member was providing narcotics to a student inmate and that overdoses were being handled internally rather than being reported to law enforcement.

On Thursday, Aug. 31, JNET served a warrant at the Chehalis juvenile detention facility. JNET detectives, joined by Centralia police Chief Stacy Denham and Deputy Chief McKnight of the Chehalis Police Department, seized evidence related to the possession and distribution of illegal controlled substances at Green Hill.

"JNET detectives located lockers where Green Hill staff was storing contraband found within their facility dating back to 2017," the release stated. "In these lockers, JNET detectives found illegal controlled substances, cell phones, vape pens, improvised knives (shanks), hand written documents arranging illegal drug transactions, and hand tools. The illegal controlled substances include green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, crystal substances believed to be methamphetamine, powder substances believed to be fentanyl, and pills believed to be fentanyl. These substances will be sent to a lab for testing as needed as part of this ongoing investigation."

The investigation comes after four arrests in November 2022 following the overdose of an inmate who was found unconscious in his cell.

Read the full JNET news release below and look for an update in Saturday's edition of The Chronicle.

On Thursday, August 31, 2023, the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET) served a search warrant at the Green Hill Juvenile Rehabilitation and Detention Facility pursuant to an ongoing investigation for the possession and distribution of controlled substances in the facility.

In November of 2022, a juvenile resident at the Green Hill Juvenile Rehabilitation and Detention Facility located in Chehalis Washington was found unresponsive in his jail cell with indications of having suffered a drug overdose. The student inmate was transported to St. Peter's Hospital in Olympia, WA where it was determined he had overdosed on fentanyl. The student inmate received lifesaving care and eventually regained consciousness. The student inmate was subsequently sent home to continue his recovery. JNET detectives initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the overdose. As a result of this 2022 investigation, over 1000 suspected fentanyl pills going into Green Hill were intercepted by JNET, and four (4) student inmates were charged with various drug crimes.

In June of 2023, a letter was drafted (see attached) and sent to the Governor Jay Inslee, requesting the Washington State Attorney General's Office conduct an investigation into the Green Hill School for their operating practices and procedures. This letter was signed by local Centralia and Chehalis Chiefs of Police, and also by the Centralia and Chehalis City Mayors. In August 2023, Taylor K. Wonhoff, Deputy General Counsel from the Washington State Attorney General's Office, respectfully declined further investigation, citing the state had, "implemented changes to its security practices including the use of full body scanners and bag scanners" (see attached). The response further stated they had launched new employee training and enhanced an existing supervisor academy with a focus on counseling and coaching skills.

After the arrest of the four (4) student inmates from the November 2022 overdose investigation, detectives from JNET continued to receive information provided from concerned citizens regarding ongoing issues with illegal controlled substances in Green Hill. In August of 2023, JNET detectives received tips that drug overdoses were occurring in the Green Hill facility and allegedly being handled internally rather than being referred to law enforcement. JNET detectives also learned Child Protective Services (CPS) had received information on August 15, 2023, alleging that a staff member at the Green Hill facility was providing a student inmate with illegal controlled substances.

Recognizing the devastating effects of the recent fentanyl overdose investigation to the student inmate within the Green Hill facility, JNET initiated a new investigation into allegations of overdoses and illegal drug use in Green Hill.

On August 17, 2023, a JNET detective accompanied a CPS investigator to the Green Hill Juvenile Rehabilitation and Detention Facility to follow-up on the CPS complaint regarding a Green Hill staff member providing a student inmate with illegal controlled substances. After contacting witnesses there, the JNET detective learned staff members had taken suspected fentanyl from multiple student inmates connected to the CPS complaint. The JNET detective contacted an administrator at the Green Hill facility and asked for the fentanyl pills that had been seized. The administrator stated he would coordinate with the detective to get the illicit controlled substances to law enforcement. By Wednesday, August 30, 2023, JNET detectives had not heard back from Green Hill regarding their efforts to recover the suspected fentanyl connected to the CPS complaint.

On Thursday August 31, 2023, JNET detectives, along with Chief Denham of the Centralia Police Department and Deputy Chief McKnight of the Chehalis Police Department, went to the Green Hill Juvenile Rehabilitation and Detention Facility to serve a search warrant to recover evidence relating to possession and distribution of illegal controlled substances in the Green Hill facility. JNET detectives located lockers where Green Hill staff was storing contraband found within their facility dating back to 2017. In these lockers, JNET detectives found illegal controlled substances, cell phones, vape pens, improvised knives (shanks), hand written documents arranging illegal drug transactions, and hand tools. The illegal controlled substances include green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, crystal substances believed to be methamphetamine, powder substances believed to be fentanyl, and pills believed to be fentanyl. These substances will be sent to a lab for testing as needed as part of this ongoing investigation.

JNET detectives are continuing to work with staff at the Green Hill facility to investigate seized evidence for the potential crimes of:

RCW 9.94.041 — Possession of narcotic drugs, controlled substances, alcohol, cannabis, other intoxicant, cell phone, or other form of electronic telecommunications device by prisoners

RCW 69.50.401 — Possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance

RCW 9A.76.150 — Introducing contraband in the second degree

If anyone has any information related to illegal controlled substances being introduced or distributed to student inmates in the Green Hill Juvenile Rehabilitation and Detention Facility, you are encouraged to contact JNET Detective Sergeant Tracy Murphy at (360) 330-7614.

This is an on-going investigation and no further information is being released at this time.