BEDFORD COUNTY, Tenn. — Evidence seized during a 2024 traffic stop conducted by Bedford County Sheriff’s Deputy Tylar Prosser and his K-9 partner, Ranger, has become a critical component of a multi-year, multi-agency fentanyl investigation led by the 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force (JDDTF).

Located approximately 30 minutes south of Murfreesboro, Bedford County has been a focal point of the investigation, which is being carried out by the JDDTF in coordination with the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, the Shelbyville Police Department, and federal partners. The 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force primarily serves Bedford, Lincoln, Marshall, and Moore counties, with its central office based in Shelbyville.

Bedford County Sheriff’s Office officials publicly thanked the deputies, detectives, and agents involved, citing persistence and coordinated investigative work that began several years ago. Authorities said the case ultimately led to significant fentanyl seizures, a drug that continues to claim lives across Middle Tennessee and throughout the state. Officials emphasized that the scope of the investigation has also contributed to preventing overdoses and saving lives.

The investigation has resulted in the arrest of 22 defendants and the filing of 130 criminal charges, marking one of the more substantial fentanyl-related enforcement actions in Bedford County in recent years.

According to investigators, the foundation of the case was established throughout 2023, when agents with the 17th JDDTF identified a sharp increase in overdoses linked to clandestinely manufactured fentanyl pills circulating within the community. The pills were designed to resemble prescription Percocet tablets—blue in color and stamped with an “M” on one side and “30” on the other.

In late 2023, the task force, working in partnership with Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force Officer Timothy Miller, launched an extensive investigation aimed at identifying and dismantling fentanyl distribution networks operating within the 17th Judicial District, with particular emphasis on Bedford County.

The investigation expanded in the summer of 2024 to include Deputy Prosser and K-9 Ranger, along with detectives from the Shelbyville Police Department, including Lieutenant Cody Swift, Sergeant Nathan Everhart, and Detective Brandy Merlo. Officials said the collaboration significantly strengthened investigative capacity and enforcement efforts.

Over the course of the operation, law enforcement conducted:

• 23 controlled purchases

• 8 traffic stops

• 4 fugitive arrests

• 2 search warrants

• 1 parole or probation search

These actions resulted in the seizure of:

• 2,366 counterfeit “M30” fentanyl pills

• 14.5 grams of fentanyl powder

• 10 grams of cocaine

• 7 grams of MDMA

• 3 grams of crystal methamphetamine

• 4 psilocybin-infused candy bars

• 180 grams of marijuana

• 9 firearms, including 3 reported stolen

Authorities reiterated that fentanyl is a synthetic opioid estimated to be 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin, making even small quantities potentially lethal.

Local officials stressed that the investigation underscores the continued commitment of local, state, and federal partners to combat illicit fentanyl distribution and protect community safety throughout the region.

Nationwide enforcement efforts continue to reflect the scale of the crisis. While 2026 has just begun, DEA agents have already seized more than 239,000 fentanyl pills and 94 pounds of fentanyl powder across the country. In 2025, the DEA reported seizing more than 47 million fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and nearly 10,000 pounds of fentanyl powder—an amount equivalent to an estimated 369 million potentially lethal doses.