Agents with the West Tennessee Violent Crime and Drug Task Force hit a house on the 5100 block of Gill Road in Whitehaven on Monday, serving a search warrant at a home linked to a child’s fentanyl overdose and walking out with a stash of drugs and evidence. The operation ended with one man seen coming out of a bathroom and a call to the Department of Children’s Services after agents spotted drug-related items near an infant car seat.
Inside, investigators reported pulling a large amount of fentanyl, a one-dollar bill, aluminum foil, and a plastic bag from the toilet, then finding more fentanyl in the pipes after they removed the toilet entirely. In the master bedroom, they said they located mannitol on a dress, along with digital scales, multiple empty bottles of Phenergan syrup, and a pill grinder positioned above an infant’s car seat. Officials noted that children were living in the home and confirmed that DCS had been contacted.
Task-force officials identified 28-year-old Terrence Scott as the man seen coming from the bathroom during the search. Records show he is free on a $50,000 bond in an unrelated August 2021 fatal crash and has a March 9 court date. As reported by Action News 5.
Investigation and Next Steps
The task force said, "The incident remains under investigation and will be presented to a Shelby County Grand Jury for consideration of indictment," and listed a slate of potential counts. Those could include possession with intent to sell a Schedule II controlled substance (fentanyl), five counts of child endangerment, tampering with evidence, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a legend drug. As reported by Action News 5.
Potential Charges and What They Mean
If prosecutors move ahead with indictments, possession with intent to sell a Schedule II substance such as fentanyl would fall under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-417, a felony statute where penalties climb based on the type and quantity of drugs seized. Aggravated child endangerment, often referred to as Haley’s Law, can significantly enhance punishment when a child is exposed to controlled substances. Separately, removing or destroying evidence can be charged as tampering under state law. See Tenn. Code § 39-17-417, FindLaw on Tennessee child-abuse laws and Tenn. Code § 39-16-503.
How This Fits Locally
The West Tennessee Violent Crime and Drug Task Force has been ramping up operations across the region. The unit reported seizing roughly 1,889 pounds of drugs in 2025, including about eight pounds of fentanyl, as part of an aggressively expanded schedule of enforcement. Local reporting and recent task-force posts highlight similar follow-up raids in South Memphis neighborhoods in recent weeks, pointing to a broader push to disrupt street-level fentanyl distribution. See WBBJ and coverage of a recent Soulsville raid.
Investigators said the probe remains open while the evidence is processed and prosecutors decide whether to seek indictments, which would then be weighed by a Shelby County grand jury. The Department of Children’s Services has been notified, and the task force said additional arrests or charges could follow as lab testing concludes and a full inventory of seized items is completed.
