The Benton Franklin Counties Adult Drug Court program graduates three community members

KENNEWICK, WA. – A ceremony for the newest graduates of the Benton and Franklin Counties Adult Drug Court program was held in Kennewick on Thursday, September 26th.

The graduation ceremony is the sixth to take place this year. The culmination is that graduates have their charging documents destroyed, hear words of encouragement from friends, family and support staff, and have their drug convictions expunged from their records.

The three men who received their diplomas, Buck Baily, Chris Barwick and Dean Burger, shared with the packed courtroom their struggles with using hardcore drugs like heroin and fentanyl, but also gave a shout out to those still going through the program little advice.

“At the beginning of this year, I honestly didn’t think I would have success with this,” said Baily, who joined the program in June 2022. “As long as you do the things that do that, the program will run smoothly and I’m proof of that.”

Program leaders tell KEPR News that in the 21 years since the Benton-Franklin Drug Court was founded, 372 members of the local community have graduated.