Racine pursuit, man wanted; fentanyl worth nearly $370K recovered
RACINE, Wis. - The Racine County Sheriff's Office is looking for a man after nearly $370,000 worth of fentanyl pills were recovered Wednesday, May 10.
Authorities said the man – identified as 43-year-old Kevin Lynch of Racine – tossed a box filled with drugs out of his car window during a police chase. What he didn't know was authorities had swapped out his actual drug shipment with a fake one.
"Over five pounds of fentanyl was stopped before it hit the streets," said Lt. Michael Luell with the Racine County Sheriff's Office.
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Luell said the Racine County Metro Drug Unit learned a package filled with drugs was shipped from Phoenix to a home near Douglas and Carlton in Racine. Police stopped the real package before it arrived.
"The real drugs were removed from the package and fake drugs were put into the package," Luell said.
Investigators said the actual shipment contained over 20,000 pressed fentanyl pills disguised as Percocet with a street value of nearly $370,000. Police sent the fake package to the real one's delivery address. Luell said Lynch went to pick up the package – and had no idea he was being watched.
"Kevin Lynch arrived to the residence, picked up the package, returned to his vehicle and started to drive away," said Luell. "A marked squad car and several unmarked agent cars attempted to perform a traffic stop."
Lynch took off at a high speed – drove through a yard and on the wrong side of traffic – and tried to toss the evidence. Luell said authorities called off the chase due to public safety. Lynch got away and is still on the run.
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"It’s only a matter of time before he is arrested," Luell said.
In the war against drugs, federal authorities and local law enforcement put a stop to what could have been a lethal delivery. Luell said fentanyl continues to be a concerning and rising problem for all communities.
"The Racine County Metro Drug Unit saved lives in intercepting those pills," he said. "It is immeasurable how many people could have been harmed or killed."
Lynch is wanted on referred charges of possession with intent to deliver fentanyl, fleeing/eluding, recklessly endangering safety and multiple traffic violations. Anyone with information on Lynch’s whereabouts is asked to call Sgt. Heiser of the Racine County Metro Drug Unit at 262-886-8192.