Publication Design Process Book by Abigail Miles

PUBLICATION DESIGN THE CHINA

CONNECTION:

NOTES, RESEARCH, AND SPREADS ABIGAIL MILES | VISC 202 | ANDREA HERSTOWSKI

P R E PA R I N G F O R T H E D E S I G N O F T H E P U B L I C AT I O N - R E A D I N G E S S E N T I A L R U L E S A N D G AT H E R I N G T I P S A N D T R I C KS.

NOTES & RESEARCH

AUG 2020

T Y P O G R A P H Y: 1 0 R U L E S TO H E L P YO U R U L E T Y P E 1. Justify: set your type justify left rag right. People read from top to

type. For the horizontal axis, align on strongest horizontal element.

- Use a single space after punctuation in a sentence. Pay attention to

bottom, left to right. If type is justified to the left, the eye is able to

- Sometimes this is cap height while other is the baseline.

the shape that the rag creates to avoid undesired shapes/angles.

find the edge and read and copy much easier. Avoid indenting the first line of the paragraph for this reason.

- The closer things are together, the more the reader will assume a 6. Use any fonts: Akzidenz Grotesque, Avenir, Avant Garde, Bell Gothic,

relationship exists between separate blocks of information.

Bodoni, Bembo, Caslon, Clarendon, Courier, Din Mittelschrift, Frank2. Use one font: using two fonts successfully within a layout requires

lin Gothic, Frutiget, Futura, Garamond, Gill Sans, Gotham, Helvetica,

an understanding of the chosen fonts in order to be confident that they

Letter Gothic, Memphis, Meta, OCRB, Rockwell, Sabon, Trade Gothic,

are complementary. Avoid using two fonts of the same classification.

Trajan and Univers.

- Do not use two sans serif, serif, slab serif or script faces togetherthe reason is because of contrast.

7. Group by using rules: use rules/lines to group related blocks of in-

- Stick to one type face until you have mastered it.

formation. this will also make dissimilar objects appear more orderly. - Shapes

3. Skip a weight: go from light to bold or from medium to extra bold when changing font weights. Great design involves contrast. Slight

8. Avoid the corners: donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t place elements along the edge or corners

changes in weight change make it harder for the audience to notice the

of a page unless to deliberate cut elements off. Negative space is a

difference.

good thing. Let your design breath.

- Try mixing bold for the headline and light for the body copy for greater contrast. Light/bold

9. Mind the gap: typography is all about spacing, never use forced justified type because of the inherent rivers that will run through your

4. Double point size: a good rule when changing point sizes is to dou-

copy.

ble or half the point size you are using.

- Avoid having a single word on the last line of a paragraph, known as

- If you are using 30 pt for the headline, use 15 pt for the body text.

a widow. - Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow a new page or column to begin with the final word or line

5. Align to one axis: build your type along one primary axis, and align

from a previous paragraph, thus separating it from the rest of its para-

elements to this grid line. For a vertical axis, the left edge of your

graph- an orphan.

10.

Be bold or italic, never regular.

TYPOGRAPHY BASICS E X P L A I N E D : PA R T O N E

PA R T S O F A M A G A Z I N E

Typography: is the art of arranging type. Much more than making words legible on a

Headline: most important element in a layout. It can vary in size but should be bigger

page. It â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about forming words into layouts

than other text elements on the page.

- Bad typography means making text really hard to read and understand.

Subtitle: explanatory or alternative title: this should support the overall title. Should have less or more hierarchy that the title.

Body copy: the main bulk of text on a page. This could be printed publications or in

Introduction paragraph: this is known as the intro, kicker, deck or stand-first. This

digital media. Everything other than sub headlines and headlines.

introduces the beginning of the article. Should catch the attention of the reader to set

- Also referred as body text number

the tone for the rest of the article.

- Display type: used to grab your attention and is eye catching. Use display type for

Body text: is lengthy and more detailed part of the magazine. Make sure to set the

hierarchy.

right margins in terms of columns and rows to improve readability. Should be consistent with the length of the body copy for all the articles in the magazine.

Hierarchy: way we arrange elements of type in an order of importance. Attract your

Byline: important that you acknowledge the person or team that worked on the arti-

attention when you are looking at a large page of text.

cle. Can be the same size as the body copy.

- Allows the reader to find and navigate to content.

Image Credit: important to acknowledge the person that took the photo or where it came from.

Kerning: adjusting the space between two characters. To make the letters more ap-

Subhead: used to break an article into various sections or compartments. This is like

pealing or pleasing to the eye.

a mini-headline.

- By reducing or increasing the space between the letters

Pull quotes: provide dimension to an article in a magazine. You can either have the exact quote from the portion of the text or you summarize the quote.

Leading: adjusting the space between lines of text.

Captions for images: these should complement the image being used in an article.

- Too tight: lines of text overlap each other. Makes reading blocks of text hard to do.

Caption should describe the image and can be smaller than or the same size as the

- Too loose: lines are far apart, creates a disjointed effected. Breaks everything up.

body text.

- Leading term comes from old printing press. Lead was put in between lines of text

Running head: placed on the top or the bottom of every page. Readers should be able

to create space.

to navigate well. Folio/page number: make sure that the page number is not annoying, even is on the left, odd is to the right.

TYPOGRAPHY BASICS: PA R T T W O

HOW TO COMBINE FONTS

Tracking: similar to Kerning, the space between groups of letters or

- Remove the small decorations.

- Different yet similar

words. Used commonly when text is all caps or small caps.

- They are more modern and better to read on screen: websites and

- Some type are good for specific things like body copy, headlines and

- Allows to let the text breath and so the text is easier on the eye and

blog.

captions

more pleasurable to read.

- They have less visual noise.

- Should match type that have anything in common- slab/serif shapes,

Widows and Orphans:

- Ex: Arial, or Century Gothic

terminals, or counter space shapes.

- Widow: a word or fragment of text that sits on a line by itself. Leaves

Script or Cursive Typeface

- Need to find a balance of where type not too similar or different.

a gap at the bottom line- it â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a visual disruption on a page.

- Emulate a pen stroke.

- Perfect pair: work well together as a headline with the body copy

- Orphan: will sit on its own at the top of a column. Disrupts the

- Script type face are very decorated- could be minimal or heavily

they are the same but have a specific purpose in each place.

horizontal alignment.

decorated.

- Fonts that are inspired by one font are good matches in come cases.

- Play with the kerning or tracking to allow the orphans and widows to

- Casual script is when the decoration is minimal.

- Look at the anatomy of type to understand their similarities.

disappear.

- Ex: brush script

Serif Typeface

Slab Serif

- Have small decorative strokes that are at the end of the horizontal

- Has thicker serifs, commonly used for headlines.

and vertical lines that make up the letter.

- Has a heavier weight on the page. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use a slab serif for body

- Use when the copy is supposed to come off as professional.

text.

- Ex: Times New Roman, Garamond.

- Ex: Rockwell.

San-Serif Typeface

THINKING WITH TYPE Grid: Golden section: the golden ratio means that the smaller of the two elements

- How many characters is optimal for a line length? words per line?

relates to the larger element in the same way that the larger element relates to the

50-60 characters

two parts combined. - Why is the baseline grid used in design? - Graphic designers use it to create various grids and page formats, and books.

Anchors all layout elements to a common rhythm.

Multicolumn grid: works well for simple documents, multicolumn grids and provide flexible formats for publications that have a complex hierarchy to integrate text and

- What are reasons to set type justified? ragged (unjustified)?

illustrations

Centered: formal and inviting to break a test of sense and create elegant. Justified: forced into lines of measure

Design with a hang line: you can divide the page horizontally. Area on the top can be reserved for images and captions. The body type can hang from the common line.

- What is a typographic river?

Modular grid: is consistent of horizontal divisions from top to bottom in addition to

Space that runs in between letters and words when justified

vertical divisions from left to right. - What does clothesline, hang line or flow line mean? Baseline grid: modular grids are created by positioning horizontal guidelines in relation to a baseline grid.

- A baseline grid anchors all layout elements to a common rhythm.

- Headlines, captions and other elements: choose line spacing that works with the baseline grid: 18/24 for headlines, 14/18 for subheads and 8/12 for captions.

- What are the advantages of a multiple column grid? Flexible formats for publications that have a complex hierarchy and that integrate text and illustrations

Hang line: can divide the page horizontally.

MAC IS NOT A TYPEWRITER One Space between sentences

- Em dash is about the size of the letter M, used in a manner similar to

Hyphenations and line breaks

- Use only one space after periods, colons, punctuation which separates

colons and parentheses: abrupt change in thought or a spot that is too

- Never hyphenate a word in a headline.

two sentences.

strong for a comma.

- Typewriter: All characters are monospaced- meaning that they take up

- Hyphen: next to the zero

Leading or linespace

the same amount of space.

- En dash: Option Hyphen

- Linespacing should be consistent. The space in between each line of text.

- On a computer the space is proportional or take up a proportional

- Em dash: Option Shift Hyphen

-Adjust the leading based on the font size and to make it more visually

amount of space.

readable. Kerning:

-After is adjusting the space in between each paragraph.

Quotation Marks

- Adjust the space between letters according to your visual perception.

- Use real quotation marks never marks that mean inches or feet

- Removing the small units of space between letters in order to create

Justified text

- Option [ or Option Shift [

visually-consistent letterspacing.

-Have to have the text small enough and the lines long enough.

- Punctuation used with quote marks: commas and periods are always

- Characters with verticals next to each other need the most amount

- Could have potential rivers in the justified text. Adjust kerning and

placed inside the quotation marks, colons and semicolons go outside

of space; this can often be used as a guideline with which to keep the

spacing.

the quotation mark, question marks and exclamation points go in or out

spacing consistent

depending on the material inside the quotes.

- Vertical next to a curve needs less space - A curve next to a curve needs very little spacing

Apostrophes

- A curve can actually overlap into the white space under or above the bar

- Use real apostrophes: Option Shift ]

on stem of a character and vice versa.

- Use for possessives, contractions, omission of letters

- The closest kerning is done where both letters have a great deal of white space around them..

Dashes - Never use two hyphens instead of a dash

Widow and orphans

- Hyphen is strictly for hyphenating words or line breaks

- When a line has fewer than seven characters it is called a widow.

- En dash is the estimated width of a capital letter N in that font and size.

- When the last line of a paragraph doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fit and goes to the next column

Used between words indicating duration. Ex: 7:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9:45

it is an orphan.

A RT I C L E OV E RV I E W DESCRIPTIVE WORDS

TA R G E T E D STYLE & IDEA

DESCRIBING THE ARTICLE

VISUAL IDEAS

OVERDOSE

TENSE

PERSONAL

PATTERN

ACHIEVEMENT

RULE-BASED

SEQUENCIAL

HAZY

SYNTHESIZED

LAYERED

DEVELOPMENT

CIRCULAR

INVESTIGATION

SPATIAL

ENIGMA

CONNECTED

SUMMARY In 2015, young adults were overdosing on what was to be Fentanyl in North Dakota, but the question was where was it coming from. Through patterns from previous cases, they were able to track down the hot spot of manufacturing and pharmaceuticals of synthetic drugs in China which were being shipped globally, shutting down the Fentanyl Ring to the US.

SKETCHES & BRAINSTORMING

C R E AT E 3 0 - 5 0 S K E T C H E S O F O P E N I N G S P R E A D S T H AT R E F L E C T D E S C R I P T I V E WORDS AND RESEARCH. AUG 2020

DIGITAL OPENING SPREADS

TA K E FAV O R I T E S K E T C H E S A N D C R E AT E D I G I TA L O P E N I N G S P R E A D S AUG 2020

FEN

CRACKED A GLOBAL

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT

D A GL

THE CHINA CONNECTION:

By Alex W. Palmer

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

. AGEN T C R

TA N Y L

E.A

HOW ON

THE CHINA CONNECTION: Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

FENTANYL RING

By Alex W. Palmer

CO N C E P T:

Idea of connection through pictures. Text baseline is based on picture

Creating a ring / pill will sub-headline to frame individual connected

guides and framing.

through pictures and framing.

C R I T:

Use as a middle spread with body text. Not as compelling as an opening

spread layout.

spread layout. Very busy and complex.

How One D.E.A. Agent Cracked A Global Fentanyl Ring

THE CHINA CONNECTION:

By Alex W. Palmer Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

By Alex W. Palmer

CO N C E P T:

Framing of the mugshot with “tape” or blocks of color blurring out the

Elongation of the words “The China” to mimic the visuals of the string in

eyes on the individual.

the background.

C R I T:

Hard to read text and very busy. Resolution of picture needs to be

Could work as an opening spread layout. Lots of layering.

improved for it to continue.

T H E C H I N A CO N N ECT I O N :

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL F E N TA N Y L R I N G

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But

couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one

FENTANYL RING

teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

By Alex W. Palmer

CO N C E P T:

Headline is framed inside of the string to illustrate connection with the

The idea of emphasizing the images used in the article along with the

layering of picture in the background and foreground.

blocked text to resemble tape.

C R I T:

Could be potentially used for an opening spread. Would need to fix the

Use as a middle spread with body text. Not as compelling as an opening

cut out of the string and play with how headline is cropped.

spread layout.

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A

GLOBAL FENTANYL RING

THE CHINA CONNECTION:

law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

TH E

By Alex W. Palmer

overdosed in North Dakota.

By Alex W. Palmer

NN EC TI ON :

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law

CH IN A

enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager

HOW

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But

AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING

CO N C E P T:

Creating the “C” from the alliterative headline “The China Connection.”

Highlighting the background picture to expose the headline. In addition,

By using the “C’s” to create change links to illustrate connection.

framing the headline and text around images and string in the picture.

C R I T:

Simple and has a nice concept. Pill in the center is not needed and

“A” in D.E.A. is difficult to identify, would make it stand out more rather

distracts from the chain links. “C’s” are hard to identify.

than the black background. Doesn’t show concept as well.

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

RI NG

O B L G

. AGEN

F E N

GLOBAL FENTANYL RING

E.A

THE

CHINA

CONNECTION:

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

By Alex W. Palmer

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A

By Alex W. Palmer

N Y CO N C E P T:

CO N C E P T:

Conceptualize the hazy feeling of drugs through the illustration of the

Creating the “ring,” pill shape and global concept with important text in

headline as “wavy.” Have the framing of the picture to identify topic.

the sub-headline. Distorted image to represent hazy feeling.

C R I T:

Illustration of the headline needs to be refined along with better framing

Further refine in next round. Play with half-and-half layout to create

in relation to the image.

more contrast and movement throughout.

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

C O N N EC T I O N :

China The

C O N N EC T I O N :

China The

C O N N EC T I O N :

China The

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

CO N C E P T:

Creating the “C” from the alliterative headline “The China Connection.”

By using the “C’s” to create change links to illustrate connection.

C R I T:

Text is unbalanced and hard to read. The chain links need to be

Difficult to read and understand the finalized connection with the “C”

connected to understand the concept.

chains with the text.

ONE

HOW

THE CHINA

D.E.A.

How One D.E.A. Agent Cracked

AGENT

A Global Fentanyl Ring

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

CRACKED

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

A GLOBAL By Alex W. Palmer

CONNECTION:

FENTANYL RING

CO N C E P T:

Using the fentanyl compound to create framing, visual elements and

Large type to illustrate boldness and frame the visual image of liquid

concept of connection without string and chain.

fentanyl with text inside.

C R I T:

Refine this idea and make the composition more dynamic. Working on

Could work but very large and bold. Would need to change the

framing the compound to be more visually interesting.

composition and contrast between thick and thin.

A G L O B A L F E N TA N Y L R I N G

H O W O N E D . E . A . AG E N T C R AC K E D

H O W O N E D . E . A . AG E N T C R AC K E D A G L O B A L F E N TA N Y L R I N G Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

By Alex W. Palmer

THE CHINA CONNECTION: Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

By Alex W. Palmer

CO N C E P T:

Lay out images used in the article which are layered based on opacity.

Illustrating the headline and pills spilling out of a pill bottle to create a

Text is guided with image layout.

dynamic layout and static text of the sub-headline.

C R I T:

Use as a middle spread with body text. Not as compelling as an opening

Only make “connection” similar to the pills and guide “the china” based

spread layout.

on the grid and static text on the opposing page.

DIGITAL OPENING SPREADS REFINE

TA K E FAV O R I T E 3 - 6 O P E N I N G S P R E A D S AND REFINE TO FIT THEME AND STYLE. SEP 2020

R E F I N E M E N T:

Create more of a half-and-half toned background to separate

Made “the china” headline static and “connection” dynamic with the pill

information. Added the fentanyl compound in the background.

visuals. Text is lined up with opposing text.

R E F I N E M E N T:

Have the headline large and orange to show emphasis. Play with large

Fentanyl compound framed and simplified. Made the type as bonds in the

connection in the background. Has no conceptual relevance.

compound rather than rules and shapes.

R E F I N E M E N T:

Made “the china” headline static and “connection” dynamic with the pill

Framing of the fentanyl compound to be centered on the spreads. Use

visuals. Text is framed but pushed into the corner.

half-and-half division of spread to create contrast.

JUSTIFICATION PRACTICE

P R A C T I C E W I T H J U S T I F I C AT I O N AND FITTING DIFFERENT SIZE AND T Y P E FA C E S I N PA R A G R A P H F O R M AT. SEP 2020

Use your body text font for this exercise. Hyphenation ON Duplicate page and change the font to see how it changes. Repeat 4 x

year because it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she

barking wildly. At the door, in the early

laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only

he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In

morning shadows, they found a police officer

the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His

high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about

and, behind him, a pastor. The officer asked

teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of

his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted

to see Laura’s ID to confirm that he was at

the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break.

to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that

the correct address. Then he told them that

He was the type of kid that teachers remember, that they keep

teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years.

their 18-year-old son, Bailey, was dead.

talking about for years.

When Bailey was a junior in high school, Laura caught him

The officer didn’t have many details. Bailey

When Bailey was a junior in high school, Laura caught him

Henke was living in Grand Forks, three

smoking pot in the basement. She said he had to stop, and he

hours east of his parents’ home in Minot,

was apologetic, embarrassed, not defiant. She thought that was

and the police there were working the case.

the end of it. Bailey just learned to be more discreet. His drug

The officer gave Laura the phone number

habit became worse in the fall of 2014, when he dropped out of

for a detective in Grand Forks. She called

community college after only a few months of classes and moved

and wrote down what he said: overdose,

in with one of his best friends, Kain Schwandt, in Grand Forks.

fentanyl. Laura had never heard of fentanyl;

By the time they became roommates, Schwandt was using heroin

using heroin multiple times a day. Bailey told his friends that he

she wasn’t even sure how to spell it.

multiple times a day. Bailey told his friends that he had tried

they both used more and more, until they found something even

After a few minutes, the officer and the

on random days throughout the year because it reminded him

barking wildly. At the door, in the early

officer asked to see Laura’s ID to confirm that he was at the correct address. Then

he told them that their 18-year-old son, Bailey, was dead.

The officer didn’t have many details. Bailey Henke was living in Grand Forks, three

hours east of his parents’ home in Minot,

and the police there were working the case. The officer gave Laura the phone number for a detective in Grand Forks. She called

and wrote down what he said: overdose, fentanyl. Laura had never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure how to spell it.

After a few minutes, the officer and the

pastor left. A heavy snowstorm had closed the roads, leaving Laura and Jason unable

to reach Grand Forks that night. They spent the dark hours sitting on the couch, waiting

for the storm to clear, moving in and out of spasms of inconsolable crying. They mostly

passed the time in silence. Their son was dead. What was there to say?

Before that knock on the door, Laura was

100% 102% 0.75% 1.5%

wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the

at their home in Minot, N.D. Their dog was

officer and, behind him, a pastor. The

KEEP TRACK... word spacing: 97% letterspacing 0.5%

he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved

Laura and Jason Henke awoke with a start

when he had his first crush, and when he started dating his first

Laura and Jason Henke awoke with a start

morning shadows, they found a police

AKTIV GROTESK BOLD- FIRST PARAGRAPH REGULAR

Around 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015,

cer tain that she knew ever ything about Bailey. She was the person he talked to

girlfriend; she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents

Use your body text font for this exercise. Hyphenation ON Duplicate page and change the font to see how it changes. Repeat 4 x

smoking pot in the basement. She said he had to stop, and he was apologetic, embarrassed, not defiant. She thought that was

the end of it. Bailey just learned to be more discreet. His drug habit became worse in the fall of 2014, when he dropped out

of community college after only a few months of classes and

moved in with one of his best friends, Kain Schwandt, in Grand Forks. By the time they became roommates, Schwandt was had tried heroin a few times over that summer. Living together,

heroin a few times over that summer. Living together, they both

stronger.

Schwandt’s fentanyl connection was a friend of a friend, a

local teenager named Ryan Jensen. Schwandt experimented with fentanyl before he began buying from Jensen, but it was in the form of a medicinal patch, a legitimate pharmaceutical product diverted from its intended use as a pain reliever. The

powder Jensen sold was cheaper and more potent, and a small amount lasted a long time. Some medicinal patches held 100

IBM PLEX SANS REGULAR

high all day. The danger, too, was significantly greater, but once Schwandt tried the powder, he was hooked.

the roads, leaving Laura and Jason unable

Schwandt’s fentanyl connection was a friend of a friend, a local

to reach Grand Forks that night. They spent

teenager named Ryan Jensen. Schwandt experimented with

the dark hours sitting on the couch, waiting

fentanyl before he began buying from Jensen, but it was in the

for the storm to clear, moving in and out of

form of a medicinal patch, a legitimate pharmaceutical product

spasms of inconsolable crying. They mostly

diverted from its intended use as a pain reliever. The powder

passed the time in silence. Their son was

Jensen sold was cheaper and more potent, and a small amount

dead. What was there to say?

lasted a long time. Some medicinal patches held 100 micrograms and cost $300-$400. Ten milligrams of the powder — 100 times

micrograms and cost $300-$400. Ten milligrams of the powder

— 100 times more than the patch — cost $10 and kept you

used more and more, until they found something even stronger.

pastor left. A heavy snowstorm had closed

KEEP TRACK... word spacing: 90% letterspacing 0.3%

100% 105% 0.5% 1%

Before that knock on the door, Laura was

more than the patch — cost $10 and kept you high all day. The

certain that she knew everything about

danger, too, was significantly greater, but once Schwandt tried

Bailey. She was the person he talked to

the powder, he was hooked.

when he had his first crush, and when

Use your body text font for this exercise. Hyphenation ON Duplicate page and change the font to see how it changes. Repeat 4 x

Around 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015,

funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them

Laura and Jason Henke awoke with a start

shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him

at their home in Minot, N.D. Their dog was

about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted to

barking wildly. At the door, in the early

pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers

jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey

morning shadows, they found a police

remember, that they keep talking about for years.

a police officer and, behind him, a

was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown

officer and, behind him, a pastor. The officer

pastor. The officer asked to see Laura’s

car,” because so many of the other students wanted to pile

ID to confirm that he was at the correct

in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that

address. Then he told them that their

teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years.

Around 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015,

he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved

Laura and Jason Henke awoke with a

wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the

start at their home in Minot, N.D. Their

year because it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid;

dog was barking wildly. At the door, in

she laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the dorky

the early morning shadows, they found

Use your body text font for this exercise. Hyphenation ON Duplicate page and change the font to see how it changes. Repeat 4 x

18-year-old son, Bailey, was dead.

embarrassed, not defiant. She thought that was the end of it. Bailey

dead.

just learned to be more discreet. His drug habit became worse in the

The officer didn’t have many details. Bailey

a few months of classes and moved in with one of his best friends,

Henke was living in Grand Forks, three hours

Kain Schwandt, in Grand Forks. By the time they became roommates,

smoking pot in the basement. She said he had to stop, and

Bailey Henke was living in Grand Forks,

he was apologetic, embarrassed, not defiant. She thought

east of his parents’ home in Minot, and the

Schwandt was using heroin multiple times a day. Bailey told his friends

three hours east of his parents’ home in

that was the end of it. Bailey just learned to be more

police there were working the case. The officer

that he had tried heroin a few times over that summer. Living together,

Minot, and the police there were working

discreet. His drug habit became worse in the fall of 2014,

gave Laura the phone number for a detective in

they both used more and more, until they found something even

the case. The officer gave Laura the

when he dropped out of community college after only a few

Grand Forks. She called and wrote down what

stronger.

phone number for a detective in Grand

months of classes and moved in with one of his best friends,

he said: overdose, fentanyl. Laura had never

Forks. She called and wrote down what he

Kain Schwandt, in Grand Forks. By the time they became

heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure how to

Schwandt’s fentanyl connection was a friend of a friend, a local

said: overdose, fentanyl. Laura had never

roommates, Schwandt was using heroin multiple times a day.

spell it.

teenager named Ryan Jensen. Schwandt experimented with fentanyl

heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure

Bailey told his friends that he had tried heroin a few times

how to spell it.

over that summer. Living together, they both used more and

before he began buying from Jensen, but it was in the form of a

After a few minutes, the officer and

After a few minutes, the officer and the pastor

medicinal patch, a legitimate pharmaceutical product diverted from its

left. A heavy snowstorm had closed the roads,

intended use as a pain reliever. The powder Jensen sold was cheaper

leaving Laura and Jason unable to reach

and more potent, and a small amount lasted a long time. Some

Grand Forks that night. They spent the dark

medicinal patches held 100 micrograms and cost $300-$400. Ten

hours sitting on the couch, waiting for the

milligrams of the powder — 100 times more than the patch — cost $10

storm to clear, moving in and out of spasms of

and kept you high all day. The danger, too, was significantly greater,

inconsolable crying. They mostly passed the

but once Schwandt tried the powder, he was hooked.

the pastor left. A heavy snowstorm had

Schwandt’s fentanyl connection was a friend of a friend, a

closed the roads, leaving Laura and

local teenager named Ryan Jensen. Schwandt experimented

Jason unable to reach Grand Forks that

with fentanyl before he began buying from Jensen, but

night. They spent the dark hours sitting

it was in the form of a medicinal patch, a legitimate

time in silence. Their son was dead. What was

on the couch, waiting for the storm to

pharmaceutical product diverted from its intended use as

there to say?

clear, moving in and out of spasms of

a pain reliever. The powder Jensen sold was cheaper and

inconsolable crying. They mostly passed

more potent, and a small amount lasted a long time. Some

the time in silence. Their son was dead.

medicinal patches held 100 micrograms and cost $300-

What was there to say?

$400. Ten milligrams of the powder — 100 times more than

Before that knock on the door, Laura was

ACUMIN PRO BOLD FIRST PARAGRAPH EXTRA LIGHT

certain that she knew everything about Bailey. She was the person he talked to when he had his first crush, and when he started dating

the patch — cost $10 and kept you high all day. The danger,

100% 105% 0.75% 1%

pot in the basement. She said he had to stop, and he was apologetic,

them that their 18-year-old son, Bailey, was

The officer didn’t have many details.

more, until they found something even stronger.

KEEP TRACK... word spacing: 90% letterspacing 0.5%

When Bailey was a junior in high school, Laura caught him smoking

was at the correct address. Then he told

fall of 2014, when he dropped out of community college after only

When Bailey was a junior in high school, Laura caught him

INTERSTATE LIGHT

asked to see Laura’s ID to confirm that he

Before that knock on the door, Laura was

too, was significantly greater, but once Schwandt tried the

certain that she knew everything about

powder, he was hooked.

Bailey. She was the person he talked to when he had his first crush, and when

his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved

KEEP TRACK... word spacing: 90% letterspacing 0.2%

wearing Halloween costumes on random days

99% 0.5%

102% 1%

throughout the year because it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the

PARAGRAPH STYLES

BRAINSTORMING AND DEVELOPING PA R A G R A P H S T Y L E S F O R S P R E A D S . SEP 2020

Around 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015, Laura and Jason Henke awoke with a start

Around 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015,

at their home in Minot, N.D. Their dog was barking wildly. At the door, in the early

Laura and Jason Henke awoke with a start at their home in Minot, N.D. Their dog

morning shadows, they found a police officer and, behind him, a pastor. The officer

was barking wildly. At the door, in the early morning shadows, they found a police

asked to see Laura’s ID to confirm that he was at the correct address. Then he told

officer and, behind him, a pastor. The officer asked to see Laura’s ID to confirm that

them that their 18-year-old son, Bailey, was dead.

he was at the correct address. Then he told them that their 18-year-old son, Bailey, was dead.

The officer didn’t have many details. Bailey Henke was living in Grand Forks, three hours east of his parents’ home in Minot, and the police there

The officer didn’t have many details.

were working the case. The officer gave Laura the phone number for a detective in

Bailey Henke was living in Grand Forks, three hours east of his parents’ home in

Grand Forks. She called and wrote down what he said: overdose, fentanyl. Laura had

Minot, and the police there were working the case. The officer gave Laura the phone

never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure how to spell it.

number for a detective in Grand Forks. She called and wrote down what he said: overdose, fentanyl. Laura had never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure how to

After a few minutes, the officer and the pastor left. A heavy snowstorm had closed

spell it.

the roads, leaving Laura and Jason unable to reach Grand Forks that night. They spent the dark hours sitting on the couch, waiting for the storm to clear, moving in

After a few minutes,

and out of spasms of inconsolable crying. They mostly passed the time in silence.

the officer and the pastor left. A heavy snowstorm had closed the roads, leaving

Their son was dead. What was there to say?

Laura and Jason unable to reach Grand Forks that night. They spent the dark hours sitting on the couch, waiting for the storm to clear, moving in and out of spasms of

Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain that she knew everything about Bailey. She was the person he talked to when he had his first crush,

inconsolable crying. They mostly passed the time in silence. Their son was dead. What was there to say?

and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year because it reminded him of

Before that knock on the door,

playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the dorky

Laura was certain that she knew everything about Bailey. She was the person he

jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers

talked to when he had his first crush, and when he started dating his first girlfriend;

teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted to

she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout

pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers remember,

the year because it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the

that they keep talking about for years.

funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was

Around 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015, Laura and Jason Henke awoke with a start at their home in Minot, N.D. Their dog was barking wildly. At the door, in the early morning shadows, they found a police officer and, behind him, a pastor. The officer asked to see Laura’s ID to confirm that he was at the correct address. Then he told them that their 18-year-old son, Bailey, was dead. The officer didn’t have many details. Bailey Henke was living in Grand Forks, three hours east of his parents’ home in Minot, and the police there were working the case. The officer gave Laura the phone number for a detective in Grand Forks. She called and wrote down what he said: overdose, fentanyl. Laura had never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure how to spell it. After a few minutes, the officer and the pastor left. A heavy snowstorm had closed the roads, leaving Laura and Jason unable to reach Grand Forks that night. They spent the dark hours sitting on the couch, waiting for the storm to clear, moving in and out of spasms of inconsolable crying. They mostly passed the time in silence. Their son was dead. What was there to say? Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain that she knew everything about Bailey. She was the person he talked to when he had his first crush, and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year because it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years. When Bailey was a junior in high school, Laura caught him smoking pot in the basement. She said he had to stop, and he was apologetic, embarrassed, not defiant. She thought that was the end of it. Bailey just learned to be more discreet. His drug habit became worse in the fall of 2014, when he dropped out of community college after only a few months of classes and moved in with one of his best friends, Kain Schwandt, in Grand Forks.

AROUND 3 A.M. ON SATURDAY, JAN. 3, 2015, LAURA AND JASON HENKE AWOKE WITH A START AT THEIR HOME IN MINOT, N.D. THEIR DOG WAS BARKING WILDLY. AT THE DOOR, IN THE EARLY MORNING SHADOWS, THEY FOUND A POLICE OFFICER AND, BEHIND HIM, A PASTOR. THE OFFICER ASKED TO SEE LAURA’S ID TO CONFIRM THAT HE WAS AT THE CORRECT ADDRESS. THEN HE TOLD THEM THAT THEIR 18-YEAR-OLD SON, BAILEY, WAS DEAD. The officer didn’t have many details. Bailey Henke was living in Grand Forks, three hours east of his parents’ home in Minot, and the police there were working the case. The officer gave Laura the phone number for a detective in Grand Forks. She called and wrote down what he said: overdose, fentanyl. Laura had never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure how to spell it. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE OFFICER AND THE PASTOR LEFT. A HEAVY SNOWSTORM HAD CLOSED THE ROADS, LEAVING LAURA AND JASON UNABLE TO REACH GRAND FORKS THAT NIGHT. THEY SPENT THE DARK HOURS SITTING ON THE COUCH, WAITING FOR THE STORM TO CLEAR, MOVING IN AND OUT OF SPASMS OF INCONSOLABLE CRYING. THEY MOSTLY PASSED THE TIME IN SILENCE. THEIR SON WAS DEAD. WHAT WAS THERE TO SAY? Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain that she knew everything about Bailey. She was the person he talked to when he had his first crush, and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year because it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years.

the type of kid that teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years.

PARAGRAPH BREAK 1 : Alternating indention, space between, justified Leading: 15 pt

PARAGRAPH BREAK 2 : Bold phrase, seperation of body and phrase, space between, left aligned Leading: 15 pt

PARAGRAPH BREAK 3 : Alternating left and right paragraph indention, left aligned. Leading: 11 pt

PARAGRAPH BREAK 4 : Weight change, leading change, capitalized paragraphs Leading: 16 pt and 12 pt

PA R A G R A P H O N E :

PA R A G R A P H T H R E E :

Using an alternating indentions with space in between each paragraph

Alternating left aligned and right aligned paragraph indention. The

creating contrast. Using justification to illustrate clear columns.

paragraph is also left aligned.

PA R A G R A P H O N E :

PA R A G R A P H F O U R :

Bold-ing the first sentence / phrase along with separation of the body

Having weight change in between the paragraphs, followed by leading

and first phrase. There is space in between paragraphs, it is left aligned.

change which alternates and alternating capitalized paragraphs.

Around 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015, Laura and Jason Henke awoke with a start

at their home in Minot, N.D. Their dog was barking wildly. At the door,

at their home in Minot, N.D. Their dog was barking wildly. At the door, in the early

in the early morning shadows, they found a police officer and, behind him, a pastor. The officer asked to see Laura’s ID to confirm that he

morning shadows, they found a police officer and, behind him, a pastor. The officer asked to see Laura’s ID to confirm that he was at the correct address. Then he told them that their 18-year-old son, Bailey, was dead.

was at the correct address. Then he told them that their 18-year-old son, Bailey, was dead. The officer didn’t have many details. Bailey Henke was living in Grand Forks, three hours east of his parents’ home in Minot, and the police there were working the case. The officer gave Laura the phone number for a detective in Grand Forks. She called and wrote down what he said: over-

The officer didn’t have many details. Bailey Henke was living in Grand Forks,

Around 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015, Laura and Jason Henke awoke with a start at their home in Minot, N.D. Their dog was

tive in Grand Forks. She called and wrote down what he said: overdose, fentanyl. Laura had never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure how to spell it.

was barking wildly. At the door, in the early morning shadows, they found a police

found a police officer and, behind him, a pastor. The officer asked to

officer and, behind him, a pastor. The officer asked to see Laura’s ID to confirm that

see Laura’s ID to confirm that he was at the correct address. Then he

he was at the correct address. Then he told them that their 18-year-old son, Bailey,

told them that their 18-year-old son, Bailey, was dead. The officer didn’t have many details. Bailey Henke was living in Grand Forks, three hours east of his parents’ home in Minot, and the police there were working the case. The officer gave Laura the phone number for a detective in Grand Forks. She called and wrote down what he said: overdose, fen-

dose, fentanyl. Laura had never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even

After a few minutes, the officer and the pastor left. A heavy snow-

sure how to spell it.

tanyl. Laura had never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure how to spell it.

storm had closed the roads, leaving Laura and Jason unable to

After a few minutes, the officer and the pastor left. A heavy snowstorm had closed

reach Grand Forks that night. They spent the dark hours sitting

the roads, leaving Laura and Jason unable to reach Grand Forks that

on the couch, waiting for the storm to clear, moving in and out of

night. They spent the dark hours sitting on the couch, waiting for the

spasms of inconsolable crying. They mostly passed the time in silence. Their son was dead. What was there to say?

storm to clear, moving in and out of spasms of inconsolable crying. They mostly passed the time in silence. Their son was dead. What was

Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain that she

there to say?

After a few minutes, the officer and the pastor left. A heavy snowstorm had closed the roads, leaving Laura and Jason unable to reach Grand Forks that night. They

ed to when he had his first crush, and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved wear-

Bailey. She was the person he talked to when he had his first crush,

ing Halloween costumes on random days throughout

and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved

the year because it reminded him of playing dress-

was dead.

The officer didn’t have many details. Bailey Henke was living in Grand Forks, three hours east of his parents’ home in Minot, and the police there were working the case. The officer gave Laura the phone number for a detective in Grand Forks. She called and wrote down what he said: overdose, fentanyl. Laura had never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure how to spell it.

After a few minutes, the officer and the pastor left. A heavy snowstorm had closed the roads, leaving

spent the dark hours sitting on the couch, waiting for the storm to clear, moving in

Laura and Jason unable to reach Grand Forks that night. They spent the dark hours

and out of spasms of inconsolable crying. They mostly passed the time in silence.

sitting on the couch, waiting for the storm to clear, moving in and out of spasms of

Their son was dead. What was there to say?

inconsolable crying. They mostly passed the time in silence. Their son was dead. What was there to say?

knew everything about Bailey. She was the person he talk-

Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain that she knew everything about

Laura and Jason Henke awoke with a start at their home in Minot, N.D. Their dog

barking wildly. At the door, in the early morning shadows, they

three hours east of his parents’ home in Minot, and the police there were working the case. The officer gave Laura the phone number for a detec-

Around 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015,

Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain that she knew everything about Bailey. She was the person he talked to when he had his first crush, and when he started dating his first girlfriend;

wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year be-

up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents he

Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year because it re-

cause it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the

practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them

minded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents

shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His

he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high

accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school,

teachers teased him about his “clown car,” be-

school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown

Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many

car,” because so many of the other students wanted to pile in to join

of the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of

funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him

cause so many of the other students wanted

about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted

to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was

to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that teach-

the type of kid that teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years.

ers remember, that they keep talking about for years.

PARAGRAPH BREAK 5 : Reverse indention Leading: 16 pt

PARAGRAPH BREAK 6 : Diagnol shaped paragraph Leading: 13 pt

him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers remember,

she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year because it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny

kid that teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years.

that they keep talking about for years.

PARAGRAPH BREAK 7 : Hexagon shaped paragraph Leading: 15 pt

PARAGRAPH BREAK 8 : Bold and large phrase, phrase seperated from paragraph Leading: 13 pt

PA R A G R A P H F I V E :

PA R A G R A P H S E V E N :

Creating inverse indention on the first line of text in each paragraph to

Creating a hexagon shaped paragraph to replicate the shape made by

create movement throughout.

visual elements that are included in the spreads.

PA R A G R A P H S I X :

PA R A G R A P H E I G H T :

Creating a diagonal shaped paragraph to replicate the shape made by

Bold-ing and enlarging the first phrase of the paragraph, in addition to

visual elements that are included in the spreads.

the phrase being separated from the paragraph.

Around 3 a.m. on Saturday, After a few minutes, the two of them shared. In high

AROUND 3 A.M. ON SATURDAY, JAN. 3, 2015, Laura and Jason Henke awoke with

Jan. 3, 2015, Laura and officer and the pastor left. school, Bailey was beloved.

a start at their home in Minot, N.D. Their dog was barking wildly. At the door, in the

Jason Henke awoke with a

His teachers teased him

early morning shadows, they found a police officer and, behind him, a pastor. The

start at their home in Minot, closed the roads, leaving a b o u t h i s “c l o w n c a r,”

A heavy snowstorm had

officer asked to see Laura’s ID to confirm that he was at the correct address. Then

N.D. Their dog was barking Laura and Jason unable

because so many of the

wildly. At the door, in the

to reach Grand Forks that

other students wanted

early morning shadows,

night. They spent the dark to pile in to join him for

they found a police officer hours sitting on the couch, lunch break. He was the and, behind him, a pastor. waiting for the storm to

type of kid that teachers

The officer asked to see clear, moving in and out

remember, that they keep

Laura’s ID to confirm that

of spasms of inconsolable talking about for years.

he was at the correct

crying. They mostly

he told them that their 18-year-old son, Bailey, was dead. THE OFFICER DIDN’T HAVE MANY DETAILS. Bailey Henke was living in Grand Forks, three hours east of his parents’ home in Minot, and the police there were working the case. The officer gave Laura the phone number for a detective in Grand Forks. She called and wrote down what he said: overdose, fentanyl. Laura

TA K E AWAY S

had never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure how to spell it.

address. Then he told them passed the time in silence. that their 18-year-old son, T h e i r s o n w a s d e a d .

AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE OFFICER AND THE PASTOR LEFT. A heavy

What was there to say?

snowstorm had closed the roads, leaving Laura and Jason unable to reach Grand

The officer didn’t have Before that knock on the

storm to clear, moving in and out of spasms of inconsolable crying. They mostly

m a n y d e t a i l s . B a i l e y door, Laura was certain that

passed the time in silence. Their son was dead. What was there to say?

Bailey, was dead.

Forks that night. They spent the dark hours sitting on the couch, waiting for the

Henke was living in Grand

she knew everything about

Forks, three hours east

Bailey. She was the person

of his parents’ home in

he talked to when he had

Minot, and the police there his first crush, and when were working the case.

he started dating his first

T h e of f i ce r gave La u ra girlfriend; she knew that he the phone number for a

loved wearing Halloween

detective in Grand Forks. c o s t u m e s o n r a n d o m

BEFORE THAT KNOCK ON THE DOOR, LAURA WAS CERTAIN THAT SHE KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT BAILEY. She was the person he talked to when he had his first crush, and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year because it

was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of

what he said: overdose, because it reminded him of

the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of

fentanyl. Laura had never playing dress-up as a kid;

kid that teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years.

h e a rd of f e n t a ny l ; s h e

she laughed at the funny

wasn’t even sure how to

accents he practiced, at

spell it.

the dorky jokes only the

PARAGRAPH BREAK 9 : Small columns, justified text Leading: 14 pt

narrow down which ones I would want to use it my

reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey

days throughout the year

She called and wrote down

After completing the paragraph style I was able to

spreads. It was nice to explore different options of styles before starting the spreads so you are able to carry the same style throughout.

PARAGRAPH BREAK 10 : Right aligned text and capital first phrase of paragraph Leading: 15 pt

PA R A G R A P H N I N E :

So which one did I pick?

I chose paragraph four because it has very different

Creating small columns (which are too tight and not clearly readable) in

and had a nice movement that would bring life into

addition to justified text.

my spreads. I did change the style a little bit with changing the color of the first phrase / sentence and

PA R A G R A P H T E N : Making the paragraphs right aligned in which the first sentence of each paragraph is capitalized.

made the leading all the same.

DEVELOPING A STYLE AND GRAPHICAL ELEMENTS FOR EACH OPENING SPREAD / THEME.

TOOL KITS

SEP 2020

H O W O N E D . E . A . AG E N T C R AC K E D A G L O B A L F E N TA N Y L R I N G Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

By Alex W. Palmer

THE

CHINA

C H I N A

CONNECTION:

H OW O N E D. E . A . AG E N T C R AC K E D A G L O B A L F E N TA N Y L R I N G Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota. By Alex W. Palmer

T H E Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement

RING

A ED

O BA L

A. AGENT

TAN

T H E

C H I N A By Alex W. Palmer

DESIGN TOOL KIT

THE CHINA CONNECTION: HOW ONE D.E.A AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING THE CHINA CONNECTION: HOW ONE D.E.A AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING

DESIGN TOOL KIT

SOME MEDICINAL PATCHES HELD 100 MICROGRAMS A N D C O ST $ 3 0 0 - $ 4 0 0 . T E N M I L L I G R A M S O F T H E

SOME MEDICINAL PATCHES HELD 100 MICROGRAMS

POWDER — 100 TIMES MORE THAN THE PATCH — COST

AND COST $300-$400. TEN MILLIGRAMS OF THE

$10 AND KEPT YOU HIGH ALL DAY.

POWDER — 100 TIMES MORE THAN THE PATCH — COST $10 AND KEPT YOU HIGH ALL DAY.

By Alex W. Palmer

AROUND 3 A.M. ON SATURDAY, JAN. 3, 2015, Laura and Jason Henke awoke with

how to spell it.

Forks, three hours east of his parents’ home in Minot, and the police there were

After a few minutes,

working the case. The officer gave Laura the phone number for a detective in

the officer and the pastor left. A heavy snowstorm had closed the roads, leaving

Grand Forks. She called and wrote down what he said: overdose, fentanyl. Laura

Laura and Jason unable to reach Grand Forks that night. They spent the dark hours

had never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure how to spell it.

sitting on the couch, waiting for the storm to clear, moving in and out of spasms of

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement

inconsolable crying. They mostly passed the time in silence. Their son was dead.

couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

What was there to say?

Forks that night. They spent the dark hours sitting on the couch, waiting for the

Before that knock on the door,

storm to clear, moving in and out of spasms of inconsolable crying. They mostly

Laura was certain that she knew everything about Bailey. She was the person he

passed the time in silence. Their son was dead. What was there to say?

first crush, and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law

wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year because it

enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager

reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents he

overdosed in North Dakota.

practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of

was dead.

said: overdose, fentanyl. Laura had never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure

THE OFFICER DIDN’T HAVE MANY DETAILS. Bailey Henke was living in Grand

EVERYTHING ABOUT BAILEY. She was the person he talked to when he had his

he was at the correct address. Then he told them that their 18-year-old son, Bailey,

phone number for a detective in Grand Forks. She called and wrote down what he

he told them that their 18-year-old son, Bailey, was dead.

By Alex W. Palmer

officer and, behind him, a pastor. The officer asked to see Laura’s ID to confirm that

in Minot, and the police there were working the case. The officer gave Laura the

officer asked to see Laura’s ID to confirm that he was at the correct address. Then

BEFORE THAT KNOCK ON THE DOOR, LAURA WAS CERTAIN THAT SHE KNEW

was barking wildly. At the door, in the early morning shadows, they found a police

Bailey Henke was living in Grand Forks, three hours east of his parents’ home

early morning shadows, they found a police officer and, behind him, a pastor. The

snowstorm had closed the roads, leaving Laura and Jason unable to reach Grand

Laura and Jason Henke awoke with a start at their home in Minot, N.D. Their dog

The officer didn’t have many details.

a start at their home in Minot, N.D. Their dog was barking wildly. At the door, in the

AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE OFFICER AND THE PASTOR LEFT. A heavy

Around 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015,

talked to when he had his first crush, and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout

T H E C H I N A C O N N E C T I O N

kid that teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years.

H O W O N E D . E . A . AG E N T C R AC K E D A G L O B A L F E N TA N Y L R I N G

the year because it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years.

H OW O N E D. E . A . AG E N T C R AC K E D

CONNECTION:

THE CHINA

A G L O B A L F E N TA N Y L R I N G

T H E

C H I N A

CONNECTION:

AGENT CRACKED By Alex W. Palmer By Alex W. Palmer Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s

A GLOBAL

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

FENTANYL RING

DESIGN TOOL KIT

THE CHINA CONNECTION: HOW ONE D.E.A AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING

SOME MEDICINAL PATCHES HELD 100 MICROGRAMS AND COST $300-$400. TEN MILLIGRAMS OF THE POWDER — 100 TIMES MORE THAN THE PATCH — COST $10 AND KEPT YOU HIGH ALL DAY.

By Alex W. Palmer HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A G L O B A L F E N TA N Y L R I N G

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

keep talking about for years.

THE CHINA CONNECTION: HOW ONE D.E.A AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING

DESIGN TOOL KIT - VISUALS

TYPE SPECS

E X P L O R I N G C O M B I N I N G T Y P E FA C E S , FONT SIZE AND VISUAL EFFECTS OF PA R A G R A P H S T Y L E S . SEP 2020

Interstate Courier New

Interstate Bold 68 pt

Interstate Italic 18 pt

Courier New 12 pt

Interstate Bold 11 pt

THE CHINA CONNECTION:

Courier New 8 pt

Image Credit or Caption (can be any style)

Interstate Bold 68 pt

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING

IBM Plex Sans 18 pt

By Alex W. Palmer

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source —

IBM Pkex Sans Light 12 pt

Interstate Bold 11pt

until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

Interstate Light 8.5 pt

Interstate 8 pt 24

The China Connection, New York Times Magazine

Interstate IBM Plex Sans

Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain that she knew everything about Bailey.

She was the person he talked to when he had his first crush, and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year because it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years. When Bailey was a junior in high school, Laura caught him smoking pot in the basement. She said he had to stop, and he was apologetic, embarrassed, not defiant. She thought that was the end of it. Bailey just learned to be more discreet. His drug habit became worse in the fall of 2014, when he dropped out of community college after only a few months of classes and moved in with one of his best friends, Kain Schwandt, in Grand Forks. By the time they became roommates, Schwandt was using heroin multiple times a day. Bailey told his friends that he had tried heroin a few times over that summer. Living together, they both used more and more, until they found something even stronger. Schwandt’s fentanyl connection was a friend of a friend, a local teenager named Ryan Jensen. Schwandt experimented with fentanyl before he began buying from Jensen, but it was in the form of a medicinal patch, a legitimate pharmaceutical product diverted from its intended use

as a pain reliever. The powder Jensen sold was cheaper and more potent, and a small amount lasted a long time. Some medicinal patches held 100 micrograms and cost $300-$400. Ten milligrams of the powder — 100 times more than the patch — cost $10 and kept you high all day. The danger, too, was significantly greater, but once Schwandt tried the powder, he was hooked. Jensen, the dealer, was quiet, introverted and brainy. He tried explaining to Schwandt once how he bought fentanyl and where it came from, but Schwandt wasn’t interested. “He said he got it on this website, and mentioned Bitcoin,” Schwandt told me. “It’s like he was speaking Chinese.” At first, Jensen only bought for himself; he wasn’t in it to make money, his friends told me. The allure of fentanyl was that it didn’t show up on standard drug screenings. Once word got out, people started coming over to Jensen’s house to get high with him. His mother later confided to Schwandt’s mother that she was just happy he had friends. Jensen had a system, according to those who used with him. He knew that fentanyl was so potent that even a small dose could be deadly, so he liked to be there to make sure nothing went wrong. When he sold it, it was in carefully measured amounts. He gave it only to people he knew and trusted. Schwandt was one of those people; after coming over enough times with Schwandt, Bailey became one, too. The night Bailey died, just a few months after he began using, Jensen broke one of his rules: After they smoked together, he let Bailey leave with several doses.

Interstate Light 10 pt

THE CHINA CONNECTION:

Interstate Light 8 pt

Image Credit or Caption (can be any style)

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING By Alex W. Palmer

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager

IBM Plex Sans Bold 11pt

overdosed in North Dakota.

IBM Plex Sans Light 8.5 pt

Interstate Bold 8 pt 24

The China Connection, New York Times Magazine

Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain that she knew everything about Bailey. She was

the person he talked to when he had his first crush, and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year because it reminded him of playing dressup as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years. When Bailey was a junior in high school, Laura caught him smoking pot in the basement. She said he had to stop, and he was apologetic, embarrassed, not defiant. She thought that was the end of it. Bailey just learned to be more discreet. His drug habit became worse in the fall of 2014, when he dropped out of community college after only a few months of classes and moved in with one of his best friends, Kain Schwandt, in Grand Forks. By the time they became roommates, Schwandt was using heroin multiple times a day. Bailey told his friends that he had tried heroin a few times over that summer. Living together, they both used more and more, until they found something even stronger. Schwandt’s fentanyl connection was a friend of a friend, a local teenager named Ryan Jensen. Schwandt experimented with fentanyl before he began buying from Jensen, but it was in the form of a medicinal patch, a legitimate pharmaceutical product diverted from its intended use

IBM Plex Sans Interstate

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Interstate Bold 20 pt

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Interstate Regular 10 pt

THE CHINA CONNECTION:

Interstate 8 pt

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Image Credit or Caption (can be any style)

Aktiv Grotesk 72 pt

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING

Interstate Black 20 pt

By Alex W. Palmer

Aktiv Grotesk Light 12 pt

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager

IBM Plex Sans Bold Italic 12 pt

overdosed in North Dakota.

IBM Plex Sans 8.5 pt

IBM Plex Sans 8 pt 24

The China Connection, New York Times Magazine

Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain that she knew everything about Bailey. She was

Interstate Regular 10 pt

THE CHINA CONNECTION:

Aktiv Grotesk 8 pt

Image Credit or Caption (can be any style)

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING By Alex W. Palmer

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager

Interstate Bold 12 pt

overdosed in North Dakota.

interstate Thin 8.5 pt

Aktiv Grotesk 8 pt 24

The China Connection, New York Times Magazine

Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain that she knew everything about Bailey. She was the person he talked to when he had his first

crush, and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year because it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years. When Bailey was a junior in high school, Laura caught him smoking pot in the basement. She said he had to stop, and he was apologetic, embarrassed, not defiant. She thought that was the end of it. Bailey just learned to be more discreet. His drug habit became worse in the fall of 2014, when he dropped out of community college after only a few months of classes and moved in with one of his best friends, Kain Schwandt, in Grand Forks. By the time they became roommates, Schwandt was using heroin multiple times a day. Bailey told his friends that he had tried heroin a few times over that summer. Living together, they both used more and more, until they found something even stronger. Schwandt’s fentanyl connection was a friend of a friend, a local teenager named Ryan Jensen. Schwandt experimented with fentanyl before he began buying from Jensen, but it was in the form of a medicinal patch, a legitimate pharmaceutical product diverted from its intended use as a pain reliever. The powder Jensen sold was cheaper

and more potent, and a small amount lasted a long time. Some medicinal patches held 100 micrograms and cost $300-$400. Ten milligrams of the powder — 100 times more than the patch — cost $10 and kept you high all day. The danger, too, was significantly greater, but once Schwandt tried the powder, he was hooked. Jensen, the dealer, was quiet, introverted and brainy. He tried explaining to Schwandt once how he bought fentanyl and where it came from, but Schwandt wasn’t interested. “He said he got it on this website, and mentioned Bitcoin,” Schwandt told me. “It’s like he was speaking Chinese.” At first, Jensen only bought for himself; he wasn’t in it to make money, his friends told me. The allure of fentanyl was that it didn’t show up on standard drug screenings. Once word got out, people started coming over to Jensen’s house to get high with him. His mother later confided to Schwandt’s mother that she was just happy he had friends. Jensen had a system, according to those who used with him. He knew that fentanyl was so potent that even a small dose could be deadly, so he liked to be there to make sure nothing went wrong. When he sold it, it was in carefully measured amounts. He gave it only to people he knew and trusted. Schwandt was one of those people; after coming over enough times with Schwandt, Bailey became one, too. The night Bailey died, just a few months after he began using, Jensen broke one of his rules: After they smoked together, he let Bailey leave with several doses.

Interstate Dunbar Low

Dunbar Low 70 pt

Interstate Light 20 pt

Interstate Light Italic 12 pt

Interstate Bold 10 pt

THE CHINA CONNECTION:

Interstate Light 8 pt

Acumin Pro Interstate

Image Credit or Caption (can be any style)

Acumin Pro Bold 66 pt

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING

Interstate Thin 20 pt

By Alex W. Palmer

Acumin Pro 12 pt

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one

Interstate Bold Italic 12 pt

teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

Interstate 8.5 pt

Interstate 8 pt 24

The China Connection, New York Times Magazine

Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain that she knew everything about Bailey. She was the person he talked to when he had his first crush, and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year because it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years. When Bailey was a junior in high school, Laura caught him smoking pot in the basement. She said he had to stop, and he was apologetic, embarrassed, not defiant. She thought that was the end of it. Bailey just learned to be more discreet. His drug habit became worse in the fall of 2014, when he dropped out of community college after only a few months of classes and moved in with one of his best friends, Kain Schwandt, in Grand Forks. By the time they became roommates, Schwandt was using heroin multiple times a day. Bailey told his friends that he had tried heroin a few times over that summer. Living together, they both used more and more, until they found something even stronger. Schwandt’s fentanyl connection was a friend of a friend, a local teenager named Ryan Jensen.

Schwandt experimented with fentanyl before he began buying from Jensen, but it was in the form of a medicinal patch, a legitimate pharmaceutical product diverted from its intended use as a pain reliever. The powder Jensen sold was cheaper and more potent, and a small amount lasted a long time. Some medicinal patches held 100 micrograms and cost $300-$400. Ten milligrams of the powder — 100 times more than the patch — cost $10 and kept you high all day. The danger, too, was significantly greater, but once Schwandt tried the powder, he was hooked. Jensen, the dealer, was quiet, introverted and brainy. He tried explaining to Schwandt once how he bought fentanyl and where it came from, but Schwandt wasn’t interested. “He said he got it on this website, and mentioned Bitcoin,” Schwandt told me. “It’s like he was speaking Chinese.” At first, Jensen only bought for himself; he wasn’t in it to make money, his friends told me. The allure of fentanyl was that it didn’t show up on standard drug screenings. Once word got out, people started coming over to Jensen’s house to get high with him. His mother later confided to Schwandt’s mother that she was just happy he had friends. Jensen had a system, according to those who used with him. He knew that fentanyl was so potent that even a small dose could be deadly, so he liked to be there to make sure nothing went wrong. When he sold it, it was in carefully measured amounts. He gave it only to people he knew and trusted. Schwandt was one of

Interstate Bold 10 pt

THE CHINA CONNECTION:

Interstate Light 8 pt

Image Credit or Caption (can be any style)

HOW ONE D.E.A. AGENT CRACKED A GLOBAL FENTANYL RING By Alex W. Palmer

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one

Acumin Pro Bold 12 pt

teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

Acumin Pro Extra Light 8.5 pt

Acumin Pro Bold 8 pt 24

The China Connection, New York Times Magazine

Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain that she knew everything about Bailey. She was the person he talked to when he had his first crush,

and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year because it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers remember, that they keep talking about for years. When Bailey was a junior in high school, Laura caught him smoking pot in the basement. She said he had to stop, and he was apologetic, embarrassed, not defiant. She thought that was the end of it. Bailey just learned to be more discreet. His drug habit became worse in the fall of 2014, when he dropped out of community college after only a few months of classes and moved in with one of his best friends, Kain Schwandt, in Grand Forks. By the time they became roommates, Schwandt was using heroin multiple times a day. Bailey told his friends that he had tried heroin a few times over that summer. Living together, they both used more and more, until they found something even stronger. Schwandt’s fentanyl connection was a friend of a friend, a local teenager named Ryan Jensen. Schwandt experimented with fentanyl before he began buying from Jensen, but it was in the form of a medicinal patch, a legitimate pharmaceutical product diverted from its intended use as a pain reliever. The powder Jensen sold was cheaper and more potent, and a small amount lasted a long

time. Some medicinal patches held 100 micrograms and cost $300-$400. Ten milligrams of the powder — 100 times more than the patch — cost $10 and kept you high all day. The danger, too, was significantly greater, but once Schwandt tried the powder, he was hooked. Jensen, the dealer, was quiet, introverted and brainy. He tried explaining to Schwandt once how he bought fentanyl and where it came from, but Schwandt wasn’t interested. “He said he got it on this website, and mentioned Bitcoin,” Schwandt told me. “It’s like he was speaking Chinese.” At first, Jensen only bought for himself; he wasn’t in it to make money, his friends told me. The allure of fentanyl was that it didn’t show up on standard drug screenings. Once word got out, people started coming over to Jensen’s house to get high with him. His mother later confided to Schwandt’s mother that she was just happy he had friends. Jensen had a system, according to those who used with him. He knew that fentanyl was so potent that even a small dose could be deadly, so he liked to be there to make sure nothing went wrong. When he sold it, it was in carefully measured amounts. He gave it only to people he knew and trusted. Schwandt was one of those people; after coming over enough times with Schwandt, Bailey became one, too. The night Bailey died, just a few months after he began using, Jensen broke one of his rules: After they smoked together, he let Bailey leave with several doses.

COMPLETE SPREAD LAYOUT

ROUND ONE: D E S I G N I N G A L L PA G E S I N T H E C O M P L E T E F O U R PA G E S P R E A D . FOCUSING ON THE TOOL KIT AND STYLE. SEP 2020

SKETCHES BEFORE DESIGNING

NOTES: - Red is the placement of the text.

- Blue are pictures and quotations.

- Black are shapes like hexagons and circles.

COMPLETE SPREAD ONE: H OW O N E D. E . A . AG E N T C R AC K E D A G L O B A L F E N TA N Y L R I N G

CRIT NOTES:

LAURA CAUGHT HIM SMOKING POT IN THE

AT THEIR HOME IN MINOT, N.D. THEIR DOG WAS

BASEMENT. SHE SAID HE HAD TO STOP, AND HE

BARKING WILDLY. AT THE DOOR, IN THE EARLY

WAS APOLOGETIC, EMBARRASSED, NOT DEFIANT.

MORNING SHADOWS, THEY FOUND A POLICE

SHE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE END OF IT. BAILEY

OFFICER AND, BEHIND HIM, A PASTOR. THE

JUST LEARNED TO BE MORE DISCREET. HIS DRUG

OFFICER ASKED TO SEE LAURA’S ID TO CONFIRM

HABIT BECAME WORSE IN THE FALL OF 2014,

THAT HE WAS AT THE CORRECT ADDRESS. THEN

WHEN HE DROPPED OUT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE

HE TOLD THEM THAT THEIR 18-YEAR-OLD SON,

AFTER ONLY A FEW MONTHS OF CLASSES AND

BAILEY, WAS DEAD.

MOVED IN WITH ONE OF HIS BEST FRIENDS, KAIN

The officer didn’t have many details. Bailey Henke

BECAME ROOMMATES, SCHWANDT WAS USING

was living in Grand Forks, three hours east of his

HEROIN MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY. BAILEY TOLD

parents’ home in Minot, and the police there were

HIS FRIENDS THAT HE HAD TRIED HEROIN A FEW

working the case. The officer gave Laura the phone

TIMES OVER THAT SUMMER. LIVING TOGETHER,

sure how to spell it. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE OFFICER AND THE PASTOR LEFT. A HEAVY SNOWSTORM HAD CLOSED THE ROADS, LEAVING LAURA AND JASON UNABLE

CONNECTION:

TO REACH GRAND FORKS THAT NIGHT. THEY SPENT THE DARK HOURS SITTING ON THE COUCH, WAITING FOR THE STORM TO CLEAR, MOVING IN AND OUT OF SPASMS OF INCONSOLABLE CRYING. THEY MOSTLY PASSED THE TIME IN SILENCE. THEIR SON WAS DEAD. WHAT WAS THERE TO SAY? Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain

ON THE LEFT, AN AUTO-PARTS STORE; ON THE

C H I N A

Laura had never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even

RIGHT, AN OFFICE BUILDING. BOTH QINGDAO

T H E

and wrote down what he said: overdose, fentanyl.

ADDRESSES WERE CLAIMED BY ZARON BIO-TECH.

number for a detective in Grand Forks. She called

CREDIT: ROY SEN

different layouts.

WHEN BAILEY WAS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL,

LAURA AND JASON HENKE AWOKE WITH A START

SCHWANDT, IN GRAND FORKS. BY THE TIME THEY

SPREAD ONE: Keep the same; could try

AROUND 3 A.M. ON SATURDAY, JAN. 3, 2015,

THEY BOTH USED MORE AND MORE, UNTIL THEY FOUND SOMETHING EVEN STRONGER. Schwandt’s fentanyl connection was a friend of a friend, a local teenager named Ryan Jensen. Schwandt experimented with fentanyl before he began buying from Jensen, but it was in the form of a medicinal patch, a legitimate pharmaceutical product diverted from its intended use as a pain reliever. The powder Jensen sold was cheaper and more potent, and a small amount lasted a long time. Some medicinal patches held 100 micrograms and cost $300-$400. Ten milligrams of the powder — 100 times more than the patch — cost $10 and kept you high all day. The danger, too, was significantly greater, but once Schwandt tried the powder, he

that she knew everything about Bailey. She was

was hooked.

the person he talked to when he had his first crush,

SPREAD TWO: Try two columns instead

By Alex W. Palmer

and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she

JENSEN, THE DEALER, WAS QUIET, INTROVERTED

knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes

AND

on random days throughout the year because it

SCHWANDT ONCE HOW HE BOUGHT FENTANYL

reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she

AND WHERE IT CAME FROM, BUT SCHWANDT

laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the

WASN’T INTERESTED. “HE SAID HE GOT IT ON THIS

dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high

WEBSITE, AND MENTIONED BITCOIN,” SCHWANDT

school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased

TOLD ME. “IT’S LIKE HE WAS SPEAKING CHINESE.”

him about his “clown car,” because so many of

A FIRST, JENSEN ONLY BOUGHT FOR HIMSELF;

the other students wanted to pile in to join him for

HE WASN’T IN IT TO MAKE MONEY, HIS FRIENDS

lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers

TOLD ME. THE ALLURE OF FENTANYL WAS THAT

BRAINY.

TRIED

EXPLAINING

remember, that they keep talking about for years.

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

and stay away from a symmetrical layout.

SPREAD THREE: Don’t use this spread. Use the call out more throughout the spreads. Fix

IT DIDN’T SHOW UP ON STANDARD DRUG SCREENINGS. ONCE

HAD TO WALK OVER THE BLOODSTAIN FROM BAILEY’S DEATH

WORD GOT OUT, PEOPLE STARTED COMING OVER TO JENSEN’S

TO HELP THE GIRL.

THE CHINA CONNECTION

TO SCHWANDT’S MOTHER THAT SHE WAS JUST HAPPY HE HAD

More overdoses followed. In the span of a few weeks, Grand Forks

FRIENDS.

had more fentanyl overdoses than it experienced in previous decades. No one knew where it was coming from or how all these

Jensen had a system, according to those who used with him. He

kids had gotten access to it so easily. Paramedics began to wonder

knew that fentanyl was so potent that even a small dose could be

if there would be any kids left in town once the outbreak passed.

deadly, so he liked to be there to make sure nothing went wrong. When he sold it, it was in carefully measured amounts. He gave it

AN INVESTIGATION INTO BAILEY’S DEATH WAS ALREADY

only to people he knew and trusted. Schwandt was one of those

UNDERWAY BY THE TIME OF THE FUNERAL. THE POLICE HAD HIS

people; after coming over enough times with Schwandt, Bailey

WALLET AND PHONE, AND THEY WERE BEGINNING TO TRACK

Buemi was in his early 30s, with a square jaw,

inexpensive generic drugs and pharmaceutical

became one, too. The night Bailey died, just a few months after

THE FATAL DOSE HIGHER AND HIGHER UP THE DISTRIBUTION

close-cropped brown hair and an easy smile. He

ingredients. It’s a low-cost, low-profit business, but

he began using, Jensen broke one of his rules: After they smoked

CHAIN. THE CASE QUICKLY EXPANDED BEYOND NORTH DAKOTA,

started at the D.E.A. in 2012, after college R.O.T.C.

the barriers to entry are minimal, and the market

together, he let Bailey leave with several doses.

ACROSS STATE LINES AND FEDERAL AGENCIES AND INTO

and seven years as an Army officer, including a

is immense: The basic pharmaceutical ingredients

CANADA. CHRIS MYERS, WHO WAS THEN THE FIRST ASSISTANT

tour in Afghanistan. He had retained an officer’s

that China produces are needed by more advanced

BAILEY’S MEMORIAL SERVICE WAS HELD A WEEK AFTER HIS

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF NORTH

sense of leadership and a no-nonsense approach to

drug companies everywhere in the world — including

DEATH. THE REV. PAUL KNIGHT, THE PASTOR AT HOPE CHURCH,

DAKOTA, STEPPED IN TO COORDINATE.

grinding out a problem, no matter how long it took.

the United States — for synthesis into more complex

“You get up at 4:30 every morning and don’t know

and profitable medicines.

TOOK THE PULPIT IN FRONT OF MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE, MOST

when you’re getting off,” he told me. “Then you get

SPREAD FOUR:

SOME MEDICINAL PATCHES HELD

THE NIGHT BAILEY DIED, JUST A

100 MICROGRAMS AND COST

FEW MONTHS AFTER HE BEGAN

$300-$400. TEN MILLIGRAMS OF

USING, JENSEN BROKE ONE OF

THE POWDER — 100 TIMES MORE

HIS RULES: AFTER THEY SMOKED

THAN THE PATCH — COST $10

TOGETHER, HE LET BAILEY LEAVE

AND KEPT YOU HIGH ALL DAY.

too big. Fix widows.

deployed and don’t see your family for a year and a

THE AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING

half. That teaches you a good work ethic.” Service

PRODUCTION

had also inculcated in Buemi a healthy disrespect

MALFEASANCE IN CHINA IS UNDERSTAFFED

for arbitrary rules and regulations. “If something’s

AND OVERWHELMED: AS OF 2017, THERE WERE

interesting to me, I want to get into it,” he says. “I

AROUND 2,000 INSPECTORS AT THE AGENCY,

don’t make policy, but I can solve things. When I hit

AND THEY CONDUCTED A TOTAL OF ONLY 751

roadblocks, I want to figure it out and get around

INSPECTIONS THAT YEAR, A MINUSCULE FIGURE

them.”

COMPARED

WITH

DRUGS

THE

AND

DETECTING

ENORMOUSNESS

THE IXNDUSTRY. IN THE UNITED STATES, LAW

WITH SEVERAL DOSES.

Use the photo more or keep

the body text, the gutter is

HOUSE TO GET HIGH WITH HIM. HIS MOTHER LATER CONFIDED

orphan lines.

in spread. Use the grid for

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE

WHEN HE BEGAN WORKING THE MOLLY CASE,

ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTORS HAVE THE

BUEMI’S AMBITION WAS TO IDENTIFY THE

TOOLS TO REACT QUICKLY TO THE RISE OF NEW

ULTIMATE SOURCE OF THE DRUGS. HE LAUNCHED

COPYCAT DRUGS THAT COULD BE USED FOR

ILLICIT PURPOSES. UNDER THE CONTROLLED

VIRTUAL

RECONNAISSANCE

MISSION,

SLEUTHING THROUGH ONLINE ADS AND FORUM

SUBSTANCE

POSTINGS, MANY OF WHICH LINKED BACK TO A

PASSED IN 1986, ANY NEW COMPOUND THAT

SALESWOMAN IN CHINA WHO WENT BY THE NAME

IS “SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR” TO AN ALREADY

ANALOGUE

ENFORCEMENT

ACT,

LI LI. POSING AS A PROSPECTIVE BUYER, BUEMI

BANNED, OR SCHEDULED, DRUG CAN BE TREATED

REACHED OUT TO LI LI AND, AFTER A FEW WEEKS,

AS IF IT WERE CHEMICALLY IDENTICAL. BUT

HAD LEARNED ENOUGH TO BEGIN MAPPING OUT

CHEMICALS BANNED IN THE UNITED STATES

THE NETWORK OF AMERICAN DISTRIBUTORS.

OFTEN REMAIN LEGAL IN CHINA, WHERE THE PROCESS FOR CONTROLLING CHEMICALS IS SLOW

OF THEM FRIENDS AND TEACHERS OF BAILEY’S, AND TOLD

After the funeral service, Bailey’s mother, Laura, approached

THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL SON. HE CONCLUDED WITH A

Pastor Knight and thanked him. “This is a much bigger case than

LINE THAT HE MARKED IN BOLDED CAPITAL LETTERS IN HIS

people realize,” she said as they embraced. “Some good will come

NOTES: “WHAT IF YOU JUST SAID, ‘YES, I NEED TO COME

of this.”

PART ADMONITION, PART PLEA: IF THE FENTANYL CRISIS

A YEAR AND A HALF EARLIER, 2,000 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GRAND

REMAINED UNNOTICED IN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY,

FORKS, A YOUNG DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION

IN GRAND FORKS IT WAS ALREADY BURSTING HIDEOUSLY

AGENT IN WEST PALM BEACH, FLA., NAMED MIKE BUEMI WAS

INTO VIEW. THE NIGHT THAT BAILEY OVERDOSED, ANOTHER

DEEP INTO HIS OWN INVESTIGATION. THE TARGET WAS A DRUG

LOCAL TEENAGER — A FRIEND OF BAILEY’S — OVERDOSED

RING THAT HAD BEEN IMPORTING A PRODUCT UNRELATED TO

AND SURVIVED. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER OVERDOSES

FENTANYL CALLED MOLLY. IN D.E.A. PARLANCE, MOLLY WAS

THAT SAME EVENING. ONE OF BAILEY’S FRIENDS SUFFERED

KNOWN AS A NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE, OR N.P.S., A

AN OVERDOSE LATER THAT WEEK, IN THE SAME APARTMENT

CATCHALL TERM MEANT TO ENCOMPASS THE GROWING CLASS

WHERE BAILEY HAD DIED. ACCORDING TO SOMEONE

OF MOSTLY SYNTHETIC DRUGS THAT LOOKED AND ACTED

FAMILIAR WITH THE INCIDENT, THE FRIEND HAD FOUND THE

LIKE TRADITIONAL DRUGS BUT THAT HAD BEEN CHEMICALLY

REST OF THE FENTANYL THAT HAD KILLED BAILEY AND TRIED

MODIFIED JUST ENOUGH TO AVOID SCRUTINY FROM LAW

IT. WHEN PARAMEDICS ARRIVED AT THE APARTMENT, THEY

ENFORCEMENT.

THE CHINA CONNECTION

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE

AND CUMBERSOME, ESPECIALLY FOR SUBSTANCES

surprise. According to the State Department, China

LIKE FENTANYL THAT EXIST IN THE PURGATORY

has between 160,000 and 400,000 chemical

BETWEEN LEGITIMATE PHARMACEUTICALS AND

companies operating legally, illegally or somewhere

ILLICIT DRUGS.

in between — an expansive estimate that reflects

BACK TO MY SENSES ... I NEED TO COME HOME.’ ” IT WAS

For Buemi, the China connection was hardly a

THE CHINA CONNECTION

both the vastness of the industry and the scarcity

The scale of the problem was enough to overwhelm

of the information available. Some of these facilities

entire agencies, much less one investigator like

manufacture tons of chemicals every week, or more

Buemi. Yet his contact with Li Li offered a starting

than a million pills per day. In 2016, the industry

point. Looking through the catalog of drugs on offer,

made up 3 percent of China’s national economy, with

Buemi saw Molly — but he also saw pills containing

over $100 billion in profits annually. Most of these

a mix of oxycodone and something called acetyl

companies are members of the vast pharmaceutical

fentanyl, dyed and pressed to look like legitimate

underclass, pumping out huge quantities of

prescription pain pills. Buemi had a hunch that the

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE

CONNECTION:

COMPLETE SPREAD TWO: H OW O N E D. E . A . AG E N T C R AC K E D A G L O B A L F E N TA N Y L R I N G

CRIT NOTES: SPREAD ONE: Make the pill “O’s” the

D AN OW ES SL ANC N IS T EE LS UBS TW GS. CA S I E EM FOR RY B DRU H TO IT G C LLY A N I RG LLIC N. IA LL I RO SPEC E PU BA NT E TH AND HAD CO N A, L-G IN S TI OR CH EXIS ICAL AH A SF S EB CE E IN AT UT H JE CE RO M LT MA Y NA E P RSO NY HAR E TH NB MB ENTA P IO CU F E AT T E R A LIK ITIM LUST L G LE TO I O PH

THE CHINA

SPREAD TWO: Try the caption on the right of the picture.

Don’t use this spread. It is too static. Use the compound somewhere else.

SPREAD FOUR: Play with the circle and layout of the circle with the pictures. Fit the captions somewhere else.

Jensen, the dealer, was quiet, introverted and brainy. He tried explaining to Schwandt once how he bought fentanyl and where it came from, but Schwandt wasn’t interested. “He said he got it on this website, and mentioned Bitcoin,” Schwandt told me. “It’s like he was speaking Chinese.” At first, Jensen only bought for himself; he wasn’t in it to make money, his friends told me. The allure of fentanyl was that it didn’t show up on standard drug screenings. Once word got out, people started coming over to Jensen’s house to get high with him. His mother later confided to Schwandt’s mother that she was just happy he had friends.

Jensen had a system, according to those who used with him. He knew that fentanyl was so potent that even a small dose could be deadly, so he liked to be there to make sure nothing went wrong. When he sold it, it was in carefully measured amounts.

After a few minutes, the officer and the pastor left. A heavy snowstorm had closed the roads, leaving Laura and Jason unable to reach Grand Forks that night. They spent the dark hours sitting on the couch, waiting for the storm to clear, moving in and out of spasms of inconsolable crying. They mostly passed the time in silence. Their son was dead. What was there to say? Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain that she knew everything about Bailey. She was the person he talked to when he had his first crush, and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes on random days throughout the year because it reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased him about his “clown car,” because so many of the other students wanted to pile in to join him for lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers remember, that

By Alex W. Palmer Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

SPREAD THREE:

Schwandt’s fentanyl connection was a friend of a friend, a local teenager named Ryan Jensen. Schwandt experimented with fentanyl before he began buying from Jensen, but it was in the form of a medicinal patch, a legitimate pharmaceutical product diverted from its intended use as a pain reliever. The powder Jensen sold was cheaper and more potent, and a small amount lasted a long time. Some medicinal patches held 100 micrograms and cost $300-$400. Ten milligrams of the powder — 100 times more than the patch — cost $10 and kept you high all day. The danger, too, was significantly greater, but once Schwandt tried the powder, he was hooked.

same stroke. Don’t use this opening spread.

they keep talking about for years. When Bailey was a junior in high school, Laura caught him smoking pot in the basement. She said he had to stop, and he was apologetic, embarrassed, not defiant. She thought that was the end of it. Bailey just learned to be more discreet. His drug habit became worse in the fall of 2014, when he dropped out of community college after only a few months of classes and moved in with one of his best friends, Kain Schwandt, in Grand Forks. By the time they became roommates, Schwandt was using heroin multiple times a day. Bailey told his friends that he had tried heroin a few times over that summer. Living together, they both used more and more, until they found something even stronger.

THE CHINA CONNECTION

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE

ROD ROSENSTEIN, THEN THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL, ANNOUNCING THE INDICTMENTS OF ZHANG He gave it only to people he knew and trusted. Schwandt was one of those people; after coming over enough times with Schwandt, Bailey became one, too. The night Bailey died, just a few months after he began using, Jensen broke one of his rules: After they smoked together, he let Bailey leave with several doses.

JIAN ON OCT. 17, 2017. ZHANG WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CHINESE NATIONALS TO BE CHARGED AS A FENTANYL KINGPIN IN THE UNITED STATES. ALEX WONG - GETTY IMAGES getting off,” he told me. “Then you get deployed and don’t see your family for a year and a half. That teaches you a good work ethic.” Service had also inculcated in Buemi a healthy disrespect for arbitrary rules and regulations. “If something’s interesting to me, I want to get into it,” he says. “I don’t make policy, but I can solve things. When I hit roadblocks, I want to figure it out and get around them.”

Bailey’s memorial service was held a week after his death. The Rev. Paul Knight, the pastor at Hope Church, took the pulpit in front of more than 300 people, most of them friends and teachers of Bailey’s, and told the story of the prodigal son. He concluded with a line that he marked in bolded capital letters in his notes: “WHAT IF YOU JUST SAID, ‘YES, I NEED TO COME BACK TO MY SENSES ... I NEED TO COME HOME.’ ” It was part admonition, part plea: If the fentanyl crisis remained unnoticed in the rest of the country, in Grand Forks it was already bursting hideously into view. The night that Bailey overdosed, another local teenager — a friend of Bailey’s — overdosed and survived. There were several other overdoses that same evening. One of Bailey’s friends suffered an overdose later that week, in the same apartment where Bailey had died. According to someone familiar with the incident, the friend had found the rest of the fentanyl that had killed Bailey and tried it. When paramedics arrived at the apartment, they had to walk over the bloodstain from Bailey’s death to help the girl.

When he began working the Molly case, Buemi’s ambition was to identify the ultimate source of the drugs. He launched a virtual reconnaissance mission, sleuthing through online ads and forum postings, many of which linked back to a saleswoman in China who went by the name Li Li. Posing as a prospective buyer, Buemi reached out to Li Li and, after a few weeks, had learned enough to begin mapping out the network of American distributors.

SOME MEDICINAL PATCHES HELD 100

For Buemi, the China connection was hardly a surprise. According to the State Department, China has between 160,000 and 400,000 chemical companies operating legally, illegally or somewhere in between — an expansive estimate that reflects both the vastness of the industry and the scarcity of the information available. Some of these facilities manufacture tons of chemicals every week, or more than a million pills per day. In 2016, the industry made up 3 percent of China’s national economy, with over $100 billion in profits annually. Most of these companies are members of the vast pharmaceutical underclass, pumping out huge quantities of inexpensive generic drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients. It’s a low-cost, low-profit business, but the barriers to entry are minimal, and the market is immense: The basic pharmaceutical ingredients that China produces are needed by more advanced drug companies everywhere in the world — including the United States — for synthesis into more complex and profitable medicines.

MICROGRAMS AND

More overdoses followed. In the span of a few weeks, Grand Forks had more fentanyl overdoses than it experienced in previous decades. No one knew where it was coming from or how all these kids had gotten access to it so easily. Paramedics began to wonder if there would be any kids left in town once the outbreak passed.

COST $300-$400. T EN MIL L IG RA MS

An investigation into Bailey ’s death was already underway by the time of the funeral. The police had his wallet and phone, and they were beginning to track the fatal dose higher and higher up the distribution chain. The case quickly expanded beyond North Dakota, across state lines and federal agencies and into Canada. Chris Myers, who was then the first assistant United States attorney for the District of North Dakota, stepped in to coordinate.

OF THE POWDER — 100 TIMES MORE

The agency responsible for overseeing production of drugs and detecting m a l f e a s a n ce i n C h i n a i s u n d e r st a f f e d a n d overwhelmed: As of 2017, there were around 2,000 inspectors at the agency, and they conducted a total of only 751 inspections that year, a minuscule figure compared with the enormousness of the ixndustry. In the United States, law enforcement and prosecutors have the tools to react quickly to the rise of new copycat drugs that could be used for illicit purposes. Under the Controlled Substance Analogue Enforcement Act, passed in 1986, any new compound that is “substantially similar” to an already banned, or scheduled, drug can be treated as if it were chemically identical. But chemicals banned in the United States often remain legal in China, where the process for controlling chemicals is slow and cumbersome, especially for substances like fentanyl that exist in the purgatory between legitimate pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs.

THAN THE PATCH —

After the funeral service, Bailey’s mother, Laura, approached Pastor Knight and thanked him. “This is a much bigger case than people realize,” she said as they embraced. “Some good will come of this.”

COST $10 AND KEPT

A year and a half earlier, 2,000 miles southeast of Grand Forks, a young Drug Enforcement Administration agent in West Palm Beach, Fla., named Mike Buemi was deep into his own investigation. The target was a drug ring that had been importing a product unrelated to fentanyl called Molly. In D.E.A. parlance, Molly was known as a new psychoactive substance, or N.P.S., a catchall term meant to encompass the growing class of mostly synthetic drugs that looked and acted like traditional drugs but that had been chemically modified just enough to avoid scrutiny from law enforcement.

YOU HIGH ALL DAY.

Buemi was in his early 30s, with a square jaw, closecropped brown hair and an easy smile. He started at the D.E.A. in 2012, after college R.O.T.C. and seven years as an Army officer, including a tour in Afghanistan. He had retained an officer’s sense of leadership and a no-nonsense approach to grinding out a problem, no matter how long it took. “You get up at 4:30 every morning and don’t know when you’re

SHANGHAI’S AUTOMATED YANGSHAN PORT IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST IN THE WORLD. CHINESE PARCEL VOLUME GREW TO 20.6 BILLION UNITS IN 2015 FROM 1.2 BILLION IN 2007, FURTHER COMPLICATING LAW ENFORCEMENT’S ABILITY TO IDENTIFY AN ILLICIT SHIPMENT. JOHANNES EISELE/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE — GETTY IMAGES

THE CHINA CONNECTION

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE

THE CHINA CONNECTION

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE

COMPLETE SPREAD THREE: H OW O N E D. E . A . AG E N T C R AC K E D A G L O B A L F E N TA N Y L R I N G

CRIT NOTES:

WHEN BAILEY WAS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL,

LAURA AND JASON HENKE AWOKE WITH A START

LAURA CAUGHT HIM SMOKING POT IN THE

AT THEIR HOME IN MINOT, N.D. THEIR DOG WAS

BASEMENT. SHE SAID HE HAD TO STOP, AND HE

BARKING WILDLY. AT THE DOOR, IN THE EARLY

WAS APOLOGETIC, EMBARRASSED, NOT DEFIANT.

MORNING SHADOWS, THEY FOUND A POLICE

SHE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE END OF IT. BAILEY

OFFICER AND, BEHIND HIM, A PASTOR. THE

JUST LEARNED TO BE MORE DISCREET. HIS DRUG

OFFICER ASKED TO SEE LAURA’S ID TO CONFIRM

HABIT BECAME WORSE IN THE FALL OF 2014,

THAT HE WAS AT THE CORRECT ADDRESS. THEN

WHEN HE DROPPED OUT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE

HE TOLD THEM THAT THEIR 18-YEAR-OLD SON,

AFTER ONLY A FEW MONTHS OF CLASSES AND

BAILEY, WAS DEAD.

MOVED IN WITH ONE OF HIS BEST FRIENDS, KAIN SCHWANDT, IN GRAND FORKS. BY THE TIME THEY

SPREAD ONE: Keep the same; could try

AROUND 3 A.M. ON SATURDAY, JAN. 3, 2015,

T H E

C H I N A

The officer didn’t have many details. Bailey Henke

BECAME ROOMMATES, SCHWANDT WAS USING

was living in Grand Forks, three hours east of his

HEROIN MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY. BAILEY TOLD

parents’ home in Minot, and the police there were

HIS FRIENDS THAT HE HAD TRIED HEROIN A FEW

working the case. The officer gave Laura the phone

TIMES OVER THAT SUMMER. LIVING TOGETHER,

number for a detective in Grand Forks. She called

THEY BOTH USED MORE AND MORE, UNTIL THEY

and wrote down what he said: overdose, fentanyl.

FOUND SOMETHING EVEN STRONGER.

Laura had never heard of fentanyl; she wasn’t even sure how to spell it.

Schwandt’s fentanyl connection was a friend of a friend, a local teenager named Ryan Jensen.

AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE OFFICER AND THE

Schwandt experimented with fentanyl before he

PASTOR LEFT. A HEAVY SNOWSTORM HAD CLOSED

began buying from Jensen, but it was in the form

THE ROADS, LEAVING LAURA AND JASON UNABLE

different layouts.

CONNECTION:

of a medicinal patch, a legitimate pharmaceutical

TO REACH GRAND FORKS THAT NIGHT. THEY

ON THE LEFT, AN AUTO-PARTS STORE; ON THE RIGHT,

product diverted from its intended use as a pain

SPENT THE DARK HOURS SITTING ON THE COUCH,

AN OFFICE BUILDING. BOTH QINGDAO ADDRESSES

reliever. The powder Jensen sold was cheaper and

WAITING FOR THE STORM TO CLEAR, MOVING IN

WERE CLAIMED BY ZARON BIO-TECH.

more potent, and a small amount lasted a long time.

AND OUT OF SPASMS OF INCONSOLABLE CRYING.

CREDIT: ROY SEN

Some medicinal patches held 100 micrograms and

THEY MOSTLY PASSED THE TIME IN SILENCE.

cost $300-$400. Ten milligrams of the powder —

THEIR SON WAS DEAD. WHAT WAS THERE TO SAY?

100 times more than the patch — cost $10 and kept you high all day. The danger, too, was significantly

Before that knock on the door, Laura was certain

greater, but once Schwandt tried the powder, he

that she knew everything about Bailey. She was

was hooked.

the person he talked to when he had his first crush,

SPREAD TWO: Align the point of the

Complicated to read, but

SCHWANDT ONCE HOW HE BOUGHT FENTANYL

reminded him of playing dress-up as a kid; she

AND WHERE IT CAME FROM, BUT SCHWANDT

laughed at the funny accents he practiced, at the

WASN’T INTERESTED. “HE SAID HE GOT IT ON THIS

dorky jokes only the two of them shared. In high

WEBSITE, AND MENTIONED BITCOIN,” SCHWANDT

school, Bailey was beloved. His teachers teased

TOLD ME. “IT’S LIKE HE WAS SPEAKING CHINESE.”

him about his “clown car,” because so many of

A FIRST, JENSEN ONLY BOUGHT FOR HIMSELF;

the other students wanted to pile in to join him for

HE WASN’T IN IT TO MAKE MONEY, HIS FRIENDS

lunch break. He was the type of kid that teachers

TOLD ME. THE ALLURE OF FENTANYL WAS THAT

IT DIDN’T SHOW UP ON STANDARD DRUG SCREENINGS. ONCE

OF THEM FRIENDS AND TEACHERS OF BAILEY’S, AND TOLD

WORD GOT OUT, PEOPLE STARTED COMING OVER TO JENSEN’S

THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL SON. HE CONCLUDED WITH A

HOUSE TO GET HIGH WITH HIM. HIS MOTHER LATER CONFIDED

LINE THAT HE MARKED IN BOLDED CAPITAL LETTERS IN HIS

BRAINY.

TRIED

EXPLAINING

TO SCHWANDT’S MOTHER THAT SHE WAS JUST HAPPY HE HAD

NOTES: “WHAT IF YOU JUST SAID, ‘YES, I NEED TO COME

FRIENDS.

BACK TO MY SENSES ... I NEED TO COME HOME.’ ” IT WAS

close-cropped brown hair and an easy smile. He

REMAINED UNNOTICED IN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY,

knew that fentanyl was so potent that even a small dose could be

IN GRAND FORKS IT WAS ALREADY BURSTING HIDEOUSLY

deadly, so he liked to be there to make sure nothing went wrong.

INTO VIEW. THE NIGHT THAT BAILEY OVERDOSED, ANOTHER

When he sold it, it was in carefully measured amounts. He gave it

LOCAL TEENAGER — A FRIEND OF BAILEY’S — OVERDOSED

only to people he knew and trusted. Schwandt was one of those

AND SURVIVED. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER OVERDOSES

people; after coming over enough times with Schwandt, Bailey

THAT SAME EVENING. ONE OF BAILEY’S FRIENDS SUFFERED

became one, too. The night Bailey died, just a few months after

AN OVERDOSE LATER THAT WEEK, IN THE SAME APARTMENT

he began using, Jensen broke one of his rules: After they smoked

WHERE BAILEY HAD DIED. ACCORDING TO SOMEONE

together, he let Bailey leave with several doses.

FAMILIAR WITH THE INCIDENT, THE FRIEND HAD FOUND THE

BAILEY’S MEMORIAL SERVICE WAS HELD A WEEK AFTER HIS

IT. WHEN PARAMEDICS ARRIVED AT THE APARTMENT, THEY

DEATH. THE REV. PAUL KNIGHT, THE PASTOR AT HOPE CHURCH,

HAD TO WALK OVER THE BLOODSTAIN FROM BAILEY’S DEATH

TOOK THE PULPIT IN FRONT OF MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE, MOST

TO HELP THE GIRL.

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE

ROD ROSENSTEIN, THEN THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL, ANNOUNCING THE INDICTMENTS

started at the D.E.A. in 2012, after college R.O.T.C.

OF ZHANG JIAN ON OCT. 17, 2017. ZHANG WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CHINESE NATIONALS TO BE

and seven years as an Army officer, including a

CHARGED AS A FENTANYL KINGPIN IN THE UNITED STATES. ALEX WONG - GETTY IMAGES

tour in Afghanistan. He had retained an officer’s sense of leadership and a no-nonsense approach to

PART ADMONITION, PART PLEA: IF THE FENTANYL CRISIS Jensen had a system, according to those who used with him. He

THE CHINA CONNECTION

Buemi was in his early 30s, with a square jaw,

grinding out a problem, no matter how long it took. “You get up at 4:30 every morning and don’t know when you’re getting off,” he told me. “Then you get deployed and don’t see your family for a year and a half. That teaches you a good work ethic.” Service had also inculcated in Buemi a healthy disrespect for arbitrary rules and regulations. “If something’s interesting to me, I want to get into it,” he says. “I don’t make policy, but I can solve things. When I hit roadblocks, I want to figure it out and get around

REST OF THE FENTANYL THAT HAD KILLED BAILEY AND TRIED

use call out more in the

AND

on random days throughout the year because it

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

widow and justification.

Don’t use this spread.

JENSEN, THE DEALER, WAS QUIET, INTROVERTED

knew that he loved wearing Halloween costumes

remember, that they keep talking about for years.

By Alex W. Palmer

hexagon and the text. Fix

SPREAD THREE:

and when he started dating his first girlfriend; she

them.” WHEN HE BEGAN WORKING THE MOLLY CASE, BUEMI’S AMBITION WAS TO IDENTIFY THE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF THE DRUGS. HE LAUNCHED A

spread.

VIRTUAL

RECONNAISSANCE

MISSION,

SLEUTHING THROUGH ONLINE ADS AND FORUM POSTINGS, MANY OF WHICH LINKED BACK TO A SALESWOMAN IN CHINA WHO WENT BY THE NAME LI LI. POSING AS A PROSPECTIVE BUYER, BUEMI REACHED OUT TO LI LI AND, AFTER A FEW WEEKS, HAD LEARNED ENOUGH TO BEGIN MAPPING OUT

MEDICINAL PATCHES 100 T H ESOME CHIN A CONNE C T I O N HELD :

SPREAD FOUR:

THE NETWORK OF AMERICAN DISTRIBUTORS.

MICROGRAMS AND COST $300-$400.

For Buemi, the China connection was hardly a

TEN MILLIGRAMS OF THE POWDER —

has between 160,000 and 400,000 chemical

surprise. According to the State Department, China

100 TIMES MORE THAN THE PATCH —

companies operating legally, illegally or somewhere

COST $10 AND KEPT YOU HIGH ALL DAY.

both the vastness of the industry and the scarcity

in between — an expansive estimate that reflects of the information available. Some of these facilities manufacture tons of chemicals every week, or more

Make the body text two

than a million pills per day. In 2016, the industry made up 3 percent of China’s national economy, with over $100 billion in profits annually. Most of these companies are members of the vast pharmaceutical underclass, pumping out huge quantities of

columns instead on one and align with the top and bottom of the circle.

inexpensive generic drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients. It’s a low-cost, low-profit business, but More overdoses followed. In the span of a few weeks, Grand Forks

Pastor Knight and thanked him. “This is a much bigger case than

the barriers to entry are minimal, and the market

had more fentanyl overdoses than it experienced in previous

people realize,” she said as they embraced. “Some good will come

is immense: The basic pharmaceutical ingredients

decades. No one knew where it was coming from or how all these

of this.”

that China produces are needed by more advanced drug companies everywhere in the world — including

kids had gotten access to it so easily. Paramedics began to wonder if there would be any kids left in town once the outbreak passed.

A YEAR AND A HALF EARLIER, 2,000 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GRAND

the United States — for synthesis into more complex

FORKS, A YOUNG DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION

and profitable medicines.

AN INVESTIGATION INTO BAILEY’S DEATH WAS ALREADY

AGENT IN WEST PALM BEACH, FLA., NAMED MIKE BUEMI WAS

UNDERWAY BY THE TIME OF THE FUNERAL. THE POLICE HAD HIS

DEEP INTO HIS OWN INVESTIGATION. THE TARGET WAS A DRUG

THE AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING

WALLET AND PHONE, AND THEY WERE BEGINNING TO TRACK

RING THAT HAD BEEN IMPORTING A PRODUCT UNRELATED TO

PRODUCTION

THE FATAL DOSE HIGHER AND HIGHER UP THE DISTRIBUTION

FENTANYL CALLED MOLLY. IN D.E.A. PARLANCE, MOLLY WAS

MALFEASANCE IN CHINA IS UNDERSTAFFED

CHAIN. THE CASE QUICKLY EXPANDED BEYOND NORTH DAKOTA,

KNOWN AS A NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE, OR N.P.S., A

AND OVERWHELMED: AS OF 2017, THERE WERE

ACROSS STATE LINES AND FEDERAL AGENCIES AND INTO

CATCHALL TERM MEANT TO ENCOMPASS THE GROWING CLASS

AROUND 2,000 INSPECTORS AT THE AGENCY,

CANADA. CHRIS MYERS, WHO WAS THEN THE FIRST ASSISTANT

OF MOSTLY SYNTHETIC DRUGS THAT LOOKED AND ACTED

AND THEY CONDUCTED A TOTAL OF ONLY 751

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF NORTH

LIKE TRADITIONAL DRUGS BUT THAT HAD BEEN CHEMICALLY

INSPECTIONS THAT YEAR, A MINUSCULE FIGURE

DAKOTA, STEPPED IN TO COORDINATE.

MODIFIED JUST ENOUGH TO AVOID SCRUTINY FROM LAW

COMPARED

ENFORCEMENT.

THE IXNDUSTRY. IN THE UNITED STATES, LAW

After the funeral service, Bailey’s mother, Laura, approached

WITH

DRUGS

THE

AND

DETECTING

ENORMOUSNESS

SHANGHAI’S AUTOMATED YANGSHAN PORT IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST IN THE WORLD. CHINESE PARCEL VOLUME GREW TO 20.6 BILLION UNITS IN 2015 FROM 1.2 BILLION IN 2007, FURTHER

COMPLICATING LAW ENFORCEMENT’S ABILITY TO IDENTIFY AN ILLICIT SHIPMENT. JOHANNES EISELE/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE — GETTY IMAGES

ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTORS HAVE THE TOOLS TO REACT QUICKLY TO THE RISE OF NEW

THE CHINA CONNECTION

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THE CHINA CONNECTION

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WHEN BAILEY WAS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL, LAURA CAUGHT HIM SMOKING POT IN THE BASEMENT. SHE SAID HE HAD TO STOP, AND HE WAS APOLOGETIC, EMBARRASSED, NOT DEFIANT. SHE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE END

measured amounts. He gave it only to people he knew and trusted. Schwandt was one of those people; after coming over enough times with Schwandt, Bailey became one, too. The night Bailey died, just a few months after he began using, Jensen broke one of his rules: After they smoked together, he let Bailey leave with several.

THE CHINA CONNECTION

AN INVESTIGATION INTO BAILEY’S DEATH WAS ALREADY UNDERWAY BY THE TIME OF THE FUNERAL. THE POLICE HAD HIS WALLET AND PHONE, AND THEY WERE BEGINNING TO TRACK THE FATAL DOSE HIGHER AND HIGHER UP THE DISTRIBUTION CHAIN. THE CASE QUICKLY EXPANDED BEYOND NORTH DAKOTA, ACROSS STATE LINES AND FEDERAL AGENCIES AND INTO CANADA. CHRIS MYERS, WHO WAS THEN THE FIRST ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF NORTH DAKOTA, STEPPED IN TO COORDINATE.

For Buemi, the China connection was hardly a surprise. According to the State Department, China has between 160,000 and 400,000 chemical companies operating legally, illegally or somewhere in between — an expansive estimate that reflects both the vastness of the industry and the scarcity of the information available. Some of these facilities manufacture tons of chemicals every week, or more than a million pills per day. In 2016, the industry made up 3 percent of China’s national economy, with over $100 billion in profits annually. Most of these companies are members of the vast pharmaceutical underclass, pumping out huge quantities of inexpensive generic drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients. It’s a low-cost, low-profit business, but the barriers to entry are minimal, and the market is immense The basic pharmaceutical ingredients that China .produces are needed by. more advanced drug. companies everywhere in

SOME MEDICINAL PATCHES HELD 100 MICROGRAMS POWDER — 100 TIMES MORE THAN THE PATCH — COST $10 AND KEPT YOU HIGH ALL DAY.

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THE NIGHT BAILEY DIED, JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER HE BEGAN USING, JENSEN BROKE ONE OF HIS RULES: AFTER THEY SMOKED TOGETHER, HE LET BAILEY LEAVE WITH SEVERAL DOSES.

WHEN HE BEGAN WORKING THE MOLLY CASE, BUEMI’S AMBITION WAS TO IDENTIFY THE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF THE DRUGS. HE LAUNCHED A VIRTUAL RECONNAISSANCE MISSION, SLEUTHING THROUGH ONLINE ADS AND FORUM POSTINGS, MANY OF WHICH LINKED BACK TO A SALESWOMAN IN CHINA WHO WENT BY THE NAME LI LI. POSING AS A PROSPECTIVE BUYER, BUEMI REACHED OUT TO LI LI AND, AFTER A FEW WEEKS, HAD LEARNED ENOUGH TO BEGIN MAPPING OUT THE NETWORK OF AMERICAN DISTRIBUTORS.

AND COST $300-$400. TEN MILLIGRAMS OF THE

THE CHINA CONNECTION

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Buemi was in his early 30s. He started at the D.E.A. in 2012, after college R.O.T.C. and seven years as an Army officer, including a tour in Afghanistan. He had retained an officer’s sense of leadership and a no-nonsense approach to grinding out a problem, no matter how long it took. “You get up at 4:30 every morning and don’t know when you’re getting off,” he told me. “Then you get deployed and don’t see your family for a year and a half. That teaches you a good work ethic.” Service had also inculcated in Buemi a healthy disrespect for arbitrary rules and regulations. “If something’s interesting to me, I want to get into it,” he says. “I don’t make policy, but I can solve things. When I hit roadblocks, I want to figure it out and get around them.”

No one knew where it was coming from or how all these kids had gotten access to it so easily. Paramedics began to wonder if there would be any kids left in town once the outbreak passed.

BAILEY’S MEMORIAL SERVICE WAS HELD A WEEK AFTER HIS DEATH. THE REV. PAUL KNIGHT, THE PASTOR AT HOPE CHURCH, TOOK THE PULPIT IN FRONT OF MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE, MOST OF THEM FRIENDS AND TEACHERS OF BAILEY’S, AND TOLD THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL SON. HE CONCLUDED WITH A LINE THAT HE MARKED IN BOLDED CAPITAL LETTERS IN HIS NOTES: “WHAT IF YOU JUST SAID, ‘YES, I NEED TO COME BACK TO MY SENSES ... I NEED TO COME HOME.’ ” IT After the funeral service, Bailey’s mother, Laura, WAS PART ADMONITION, PART PLEA: IF THE approached Pastor Knight and thanked him. FENTANYL CRISIS REMAINED UNNOTICED IN “This is a much bigger case than people realize,” THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, IN GRAND FORKS she said as they embraced. “Some good will IT WAS ALREADY BURSTING HIDEOUSLY INTO come of this.” VIEW. THE NIGHT THAT BAILEY OVERDOSED, ANOTHER LOCAL TEENAGER — A FRIEND OF A YEAR AND A HALF EARLIER, 2,000 MILES BAILEY’S — OVERDOSED AND SURVIVED. THERE SOUTHEAST OF GRAND FORKS, A YOUNG DRUG WERE SEVERAL OTHER OVERDOSES THAT ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION AGENT IN SAME EVENING. ONE OF BAILEY’S FRIENDS WEST PALM BEACH, FLA., NAMED MIKE BUEMI SUFFERED AN OVERDOSE LATER THAT WEEK, WAS DEEP INTO HIS OWN INVESTIGATION. IN THE SAME APARTMENT WHERE BAILEY HAD THE TARGET WAS A DRUG RING THAT HAD DIED. ACCORDING TO SOMEONE FAMILIAR BEEN IMPORTING A PRODUCT UNRELATED TO WITH THE INCIDENT, THE FRIEND HAD FOUND FENTANYL CALLED MOLLY. IN D.E.A. PARLANCE, THE REST OF THE FENTANYL THAT HAD KILLED MOLLY WAS KNOWN AS A NEW PSYCHOACBAILEY AND TRIED IT. WHEN PARAMEDICS TIVE SUBSTANCE, OR N.P.S., A CATCHALL TERM ARRIVED AT THE APARTMENT, THEY HAD TO MEANT TO ENCOMPASS THE GROWING CLASS WALK OVER THE BLOODSTAIN FROM BAILEY’S OF MOSTLY SYNTHETIC DRUGS THAT LOOKED AND ACTED LIKE TRADITIONAL DRUGS BUT DEATH TO HELP THE GIRL. THAT HAD BEEN CHEMICALLY MODIFIED JUST More overdoses followed. In the span of a few ENOUGH TO AVOID SCRUTINY FROM LAW weeks, Grand Forks had more fentanyl over- ENFORCEMENT. doses than it experienced in previous decades.

ON THE LEFT, AN AUTO-PARTS STORE; ON

JENSEN, THE DEALER, WAS QUIET, INTROVERTED AND BRAINY. HE TRIED EXPLAINING TO SCHWANDT ONCE HOW HE BOUGHT FENTANYL AND WHERE IT CAME FROM, BUT SCHWANDT WASN’T INTERESTED. “HE SAID HE GOT IT ON THIS WEBSITE, AND MENTIONED BITCOIN,” SCHWANDT TOLD ME. “IT’S LIKE HE WAS SPEAKING CHINESE.” A FIRST, JENSEN ONLY BOUGHT FOR HIMSELF; HE WASN’T IN IT TO MAKE MONEY, HIS FRIENDS TOLD ME. THE ALLURE OF FENTANYL WAS THAT IT DIDN’T SHOW UP ON STANDARD DRUG SCREENINGS. ONCE WORD GOT OUT, PEOPLE STARTED COMING OVER TO JENSEN’S HOUSE TO GET HIGH WITH HIM. HIS MOTHER LATER CONFIDED TO SCHWANDT’S MOTHER THAT SHE WAS JUST HAPPY HE HAD FRIENDS.

QINGDAO ADDRESSES WERE CLAIMED BY

ZARON BIO-TECH. CREDIT: ROY SEN

AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE OFFICER AND THE PASTOR LEFT. A HEAVY SNOWSTORM HAD CLOSED THE ROADS, LEAVING LAURA AND JASON UNABLE TO REACH GRAND FORKS THAT NIGHT. THEY SPENT THE DARK HOURS SITTING ON THE COUCH, WAITING FOR THE STORM TO CLEAR, MOVING IN AND OUT OF SPASMS OF INCONSOLABLE CRYING. THEY MOSTLY PASSED THE TIME IN SILENCE. THEIR SON WAS DEAD. WHAT WAS THERE TO SAY?

THE RIGHT, AN OFFICE BUILDING. BOTH

OF IT. BAILEY JUST LEARNED TO BE MORE DISCREET. HIS DRUG HABIT BECAME WORSE IN THE FALL OF 2014, WHEN HE DROPPED OUT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE AFTER ONLY A FEW MONTHS OF CLASSES AND MOVED IN WITH ONE OF HIS BEST FRIENDS, KAIN SCHWANDT, IN GRAND FORKS. BY THE TIME THEY BECAME ROOMMATES, SCHWANDT WAS USING HEROIN MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY. BAILEY TOLD HIS FRIENDS THAT HE HAD TRIED HEROIN A FEW TIMES OVER THAT SUMMER. LIVING TOGETHER, THEY BOTH USED MORE AND MORE, UNTIL THEY FOUND SOMETHING EVEN STRONGER.

THE CHINA CONNECTION

LEFT: ROD ROSENSTEIN, THEN THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL, ANNOUNCING THE INDICTMENTS OF ZHANG JIAN ON OCT. 17, 2017. ZHANG WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CHINESE NATIONALS TO BE CHARGED AS A FENTANYL KINGPIN IN THE UNITED STATES. ALEX WONG - GETTY IMAGES R I G H T : S H A N G H A I ’ S A U T O M AT E D YANGSHAN PORT IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST IN THE WORLD. CHINESE PARCEL VOLUME GREW TO 20.6 BILLION UNITS IN 2015 FROM 1.2 BILLION IN 2007, FURTHER COMPLICATING LAW ENFORCEMENT’S ABILITY TO IDENTIFY AN ILLICIT SHIPMENT. JOHANNES EISELE/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE — GETTY IMAGES

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D E S I G N I N G S P R E A D C O V E R S T H AT A R E I N C LU D E D I N E P U B D ES I G N . COMPLETES ALL FOUR SPREADS. SEP 2020

Fentanyl is quickly becoming America’s deadliest drug. But law enforcement couldn’t trace it to its source — until one teenager overdosed in North Dakota.

C R E AT I N G A R E A L I S T I C V E R S I O N O F T H E F I N A L I Z E D S P R E A D.

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