Two accused Milwaukee-area drug dealers are on the run after skipping out on court, and the U.S. Marshals say they are not taking the disappearance lightly. Authorities are looking for Trovone Batchelor and Nyisha Griffen, who vanished after being released on bond on drug-distribution charges. Both are believed to still be in Milwaukee and have active warrants tied to a narcotics investigation that surfaced earlier this year. According to officials, the pair have not appeared in court since October, when judges issued the latest arrest warrants.
Search Tied To Raid At Hampton And N. 18th Street
Investigators traced the case back to a home near Hampton Avenue and North 18th Street, where they say they seized cocaine, heroin and fentanyl, according to FOX6 Milwaukee. The outlet reports that both Batchelor and Griffen were arrested in connection with that raid, formally charged, and then released on bond. After that, they simply stopped showing up for court, authorities said.
U.S. Marshals Lead The Search
The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force is now steering the search, treating the pair as wanted fugitives and urging anyone who knows where they are to speak up. Per the U.S. Marshals Service, tips can be called in to the Milwaukee-area line at 414-297-3707. The number connects to the Eastern District office, and officials emphasize that callers are allowed to remain anonymous.
Suspect Descriptions And Outstanding Charges
Marshals describe both Batchelor and Griffen as heavily tattooed. Batchelor is listed at about 5-foot-8 and 230 pounds, while Griffen is roughly 5-foot-6 and 220 pounds. Investigators told local media that Griffen has an open child-abuse case along with a witness-intimidation matter, and that Batchelor faces fleeing and gun charges on top of the drug counts.
Authorities also point to the firearms and large quantities of suspected narcotics already seized in the investigation as a red flag for public safety. "When large quantities of drugs and firearms are involved in a case like this obviously, they’re somewhat of a danger to the community," an investigator told FOX6 Milwaukee.
Why Fentanyl Matters In Wisconsin
State health data show that synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, now account for the vast majority of opioid overdose deaths in Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Officials there warn that fentanyl is increasingly turning up mixed into heroin, cocaine and other street drugs. That cocktail effect makes large fentanyl seizures especially alarming for communities and first responders, who may need multiple doses of naloxone to pull someone back from an overdose.
How To Report Tips
Anyone with information about Batchelor or Griffen is urged to call the Eastern District tip line of the U.S. Marshals at 414-297-3707 or send information through the U.S. Marshals Service district page. Officials add that if it is an emergency or a crime is happening in real time, people should call 911 first.
