TAMPA, Fla. — A rise in Fentanyl-related arrests in Hillsborough County is drawing the attention of local law enforcement and State Attorney Suzy Lopez. 

They say the number of cases filed in the county rose by 1,300% in the last five years.

Florida has also seen a rise in drug deaths over the last five years.

The latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows more than 7,800 people died from drug doses in 2021, that’s more than 2,000 more deaths than in 2019. And it has increased every year except 2018. 

State Attorney Suzy Lopez says the number of cases filed in the 13th Judicial Circuit increased by 152% from 2021. Lopez stresses these numbers and deaths are more than numbers.

"Real people and real families are losing loved ones to this deadly poison,” said Lopez. "We stand with the victims and promise to relentlessly pursue every avenue we can to ensure drug dealers pay for their crimes,” said Lopez.

Spectrum News spoke with a woman in treatment at Operation Par about her road to recovery.

"I ended up losing my job, I have felonies now, I lost my daughter,” Ashley Holley said through tears.

The 33-year-old has been in a residential treatment program since June. She was arrested in March for drugs, Fentanyl was one of those drugs.

"It just progresses so fast and it gets such a hold on you,” said Holley.

Now she says she’s getting the help she needs to break free from addiction.

"Trying to build my relationship back with my family, doing my case plan,” said Holley. "I’m on the right track."

Getting on the right track can start with a call for help.

Eric Bledsoe, Director of Gateway Services with the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay says intervention specialists take up to one-thousand calls for substance use disorder every week.

Bledsoe has been on the receiving end of those calls. He started at the Crisis Center three years ago when he picked up calls helping people get the help they need.

"We try to navigate the call in a very trauma-informed matter," said Bledsoe. "We try to empathize with the caller and work with them to get the resources that we believer are going to help them.”

The center's help is bringing Holley's happiness back into her life.

"I don’t want to go back to the way I was living,” said Holley.

A new chapter in life this mother looks forward to sharing with her daughter. And a story of recovery she shares with hopes of helping others.

"I could not stop so my message is to never start,” said Holley.