In between, Pennsylvania boasts vast areas of forest for which it got its name. Email. "This investigation dismantled a large-scale drug trafficking pipeline that brought major quantities of cocaine from Mexican cartels, into the United States through California and Arizona, and across the country to the streets of Pittsburgh. "(He) was communicating with his sons and the organization and was able to, if not control, coordinate and discuss with members of the organization," Brady said. First published on September 4, 2020 / 4:45 PM. Dozens arrested, heroin seized in major Pa. drug bust. The indictments were announced at the news conference at the Belmont barracks of the state police in Philadelphia. She added that she feels 70 warrants issued in one day is an impressive amount for a small county. TV Q&A: Is a Pittsburgher writing for CBSs East New York? PITTSBURGHAfter a lengthy investigation into drug trafficking in the Homewood section of the City of Pittsburgh and other communities in the Greater Pittsburgh area, 40 people have been indicted . While the state has many notable things that make it special, it is not exempt from the drug trade. About $90,000 worth of stock is also subject to forfeiture. According to authorities, the wiretaps, done in 1989, showed that the speed was delivered to Pirollo and Gatto, who took it to New Jersey to be cut and packaged. montgomery county, pa drug bust montgomery county, pa drug bust. All complaints and concerns are fully investigated by corporate compliance and corrective actions are implemented based on substantiated allegations. "I think that's a record," said Vernon. The investigation began in the winter of 1988 with a street-level buy by a Philadelphia police officer, the state police said. A federal grand jury has indicted 39 people in a cross-country cocaine ring that flooded Pittsburgh and the Mon Valley with drugs, U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said Wednesday. Fax:814-533-4545. "There are no boundaries in law enforcement in Fayette County today," said county District Attorney Nancy Vernon. WPXI Shot Boyz Organization 25 people were indicted as part of a fentanyl trafficking ring. . This may be the biggest meth bust in American. The command post for this detail was the Connellsville Fire Station, located directly across Apple Street from the Connellsville Police Station. Pompano Beach, FL 33062. Following a tip, police stopped a vehicle on Route 22 on April 8, and during a search of the vehicle, they found 50 bricks of heroin and fentanyl. Cpl. Montgomery District Attorney Michael D. Marino said some of the drug ring members used a vacant house on Visitation Road in Evansburg State Park. Kenneth Showman, Aaron Jeffries, Frank Whipkey, Randy Cartwright, Jason Stasko, Barry Brooks, Theodore Turney, Dustin Banazak, Clarence Nicholson, Dawn Lilley, Maurice Sledge, William Fitzgerald, Jody Yauger, Carla Witherspoon, Gary W. Jordan, Preston Anthony Hill, Myron Maurice Moore, Danny Neil Jr., Joseph A. Brow. All Rights Reserved. Federal investigators continue to search for Todd Moses, 33, of Decatur, Ga. Moses, formerly of Donora, is one of 39 individuals indicted in a cocaine-trafficking ring Tuesday, April 24, 2018. U.S. Attorney Scott Brady on Wednesday said a federal grand jury has indicted 39 people accused of being involved in a cross-country cocaine ring that stretched from Los Angeles to Pittsburgh. Investigators, who had been tracking the pairs movements, pulled the suspects over while they were driving in separate vehicles in North Braddock on Monday after securing warrants for their arrests. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. These drugs then ended up on the streets of Pittsburgh. Zappala said the last time he recalls a similar situation was a bust in Penn Hills, where drugs were hidden within a false bottom in a vehicle. Taylor is a convicted felon who is barred from owning a gun. Fayette County law enforcement officials said Tuesday that they had conducted "the largest drug bust in the county's history.". At least 29 people were arrested in a roundup that started at 6 a.m. The two-year investigation, called Operation Heavy Hand, included the FBI, state police, and police in Pittsburgh, South Strabane, Elizabeth Borough, Penn Hills and Perryopolis. It could not be determined late last night if Pirollo or Gatto were among those arrested. Brady said law enforcement has been going zone by zone and neighborhood by neighborhood to take out street gangs, drug rings and violent offenders. "This cooperative effort between the great men and women of law enforcement in our County has kept 2,500 bags containing heroin and fentanyl off of our streets. Jamaal Maragh (a/k/a Alrick Williams a/k/a Frederick Vanlierop), 38, of Turtle Creek, PA; Noel Perez Aguilar (a/k/a Venado), 48, of Los Angeles, CA; Juan Carlos Alejandres, 26, of Los Angeles, CA; Ramon S. Araiza-Vega, 27, of Rio Rico, AZ; Jose D. Delosrios Benitez (a/k/a McQueen), 30, of Inglewood, CA; Johnny Bravo, Jr., 32, of Los Angeles, CA; Antonio Egurrola-Gamboa (a/k/a Chango), 32, of Tucson, AZ; Roberto Egurrola-Vasquez (a/k/a Gordito), 32, of Tucson, AZ; Howard E. Johnson III, 30, of Pittsburgh, PA; Alexis A. Perez Lopez, 44, of Los Angeles, CA; Clayton F. Manning, 43, of Los Angeles, CA; Rachel M. Novalesi, 37, of Rochester, PA; Justo Edgardo Parra Jr., 28, of Nogales, AZ; Odean Samuels (a/k/a Martin ONeil, a/k/a Smokey), 32, of Canoga Park, CA; Manuel Silvestre, 49, of Los Angeles, CA; Steven L. Trent Jr., 50, of Penn Hills, PA; Darrick Watkins, 50, of Los Angeles, CA; and. Both will be arraigned at the Allegheny County Jail. A former Monessen man pleaded guilty to helping to run one of the largest drug trafficking organizations in the history of Southwestern Pennsylvania. The operation involved around 80 investigators from nine . Have a question about Government Services? All the people indicted are from Philadelphia or New Jersey except one man from Florida. He has been denied bail and held in the Allegheny County Jail with a preliminary hearing set before Magisterial District Judge Scott H. Schricker on Mar. Their estimated value is $450,000, state police said. Big prostitution bust at Pa. hotel nets 17 arrests Pictured are some of the suspects arrested after a major prostitution and drug sting at Monroe County hotel. PITTSBURGH More than two dozen people were charged in connection with a fentanyl distribution ring stretching across Pittsburgh's eastern neighborhoods and into Wilkinsburg, according to FBI. But what if it was just in their heads? She has produced a multitude of integrated campaigns and events in the behavioral health and addictions field. Taken into custody in North Braddock Monday were Jermaine Clark. Those considered mid-level dealers in Fayette County deal up to $10,000 in drugs. Zappala said the case builds on collaborative law enforcement work by local and federal officials to keep drugs out of the region. Another lab was in Lower Providence Township, Montgomery County. CLICK HERE to find out how. The gang operated from the East Hills, Homewood and Wilkinsburg all the way to Latrobe. biggest drug bust in pittsburgh pa. julia baird barrister ava law group reviews ralph woolfolk wife notice of intent to serve subpoena pennsylvania. Officials pegged Clark as a head of the trafficking organization and accused Suggs Jr. of being a co-conspirator. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala speaks at a press conference on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. Investigators say they believe that, since at least 2017, the drug ring involving Clark and Suggs Jr. has brought hundreds of kilograms of cocaine worth tens of millions of dollars from the city of Philadelphia into Western Pennsylvania neighborhoods. Were committed to the Mon Valley and to the eastern sections of Allegheny County, Zappala said. Another lab was raided in January 1990. Suite 115 This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing a firearm or ammunition. "Most warrants were for delivery or conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance," said Burden. It is organized by the Fayette County District Attorney's Office. Sign up below to receive 10% OFF your entire order! Please enter valid email address to continue. The cocaine ring was. PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - More than two dozen people have been indicted for their alleged links to an international drug ring in Pittsburgh. Statistics and Facts About Binge Eating Disorder, Almond Mom Yolanda Hadid Fuels Diet Culture. Pittsburgh, PA 15219, 17 South Park Row, Room A330 |, Guard alligator El Chompo protected drugs for Pennsylvania dealers, prosecutors say. The Monroeville, Penn Hills, Elizabeth Township, Munhall, and Wilkinsburg police departments worked alongside the Office of Attorney General over the course of this investigation. Attorney General . Operation Tripwire started 2 years ago after the postal service found cocaine hidden in a package. williams legato iii headphone jack size 1; pergo heritage hickory 1; He said there are turf wars, shootings, home invasions and homicides that go hand in hand with drug trafficking. Two indictments led to the charges against the 39 people, one of whom has been in federal prison since the late 2000s and continued to coordinate and communicate with the ring from prison, Brady said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. We are dedicated to working collaboratively to ensure the safety of communities across Pennsylvania. Eight pounds of speed was seized from the Montgomery lab, Fountain said. With help from the FBI and local police, investigators from the District Attorneys Office on Monday arrested two highly sought-after Philadelphia men accused of having deep ties to major drug trafficking operations originating in South America, Zappala said. A 26th person, Keith Redman, was also charged with one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition. Protect Your Home from Ticks with Yard Guard from Viking Pest, PA To Consider Adopting Significant Police Protection Measures, What Kind Of Home Can $1.9 Million Buy In Pittsburgh? "I asked for an arrest sweep to show the citizenry that law enforcement is active and involved with drug enforcement," said Vernon, adding the year-long investigation involved undercover work, undercover purchases, officers entering in dangerous places and conducting highly dangerous searches. In October 1989, two labs, 30 pounds of speed and a half pound of cocaine were seized. Officials, in one day, issued approximately 70 arrest warrants. At one Philadelphia lab alone, 800 pounds of speed with a street value of $18 million were manufactured, Fountain said. Todd Moses of Decatur, Ga., and originally from Donora, remains on the run. "Drug traffickers should be put on notice that when we identify a suspicious parcel, we will use all of our investigative resources to identify those responsible. Brady said 30% of all shots fired calls in the City of Pittsburgh come from Zone 5. According to the district attorneys office, it is believed the pair have spent the past two years transporting hundreds of kilograms of cocaine to communities in Allegheny County. The raid started at approximately 6 a.m., when 56 officers from various municipalities from throughout the county were briefed and dispatched in five teams. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. You will be arrested. Officers stopped the RV last November where they found Pedro Blanco, Brian Powell and Troy Rowe trafficking more than 50 kilograms of cocaine from Los Angeles to Jamie Lightfoot's Verona home, according to the indictment. On Wednesday, Zappala said his office plans to ask the magistrate judge to revoke the bail of both men to ensure they dont flee the country. Five labs where speed was made were shut down during the course of the probe. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than ten years to a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, or both, as to each charged Defendant. A 13-count indictment, which included charges of drug trafficking, money laundering, firearms violation and other crimes, named the following 28 people: Don Juan Mendoza, 38, of Lawrenceville, Ga. Jamie Lightfoot, Sr., 46, currently incarcerated at FCI Loretto. Evidence seized during a two-year investigation into a cross-country cocaine trafficking ring that led to the indictment of 39 individuals Tuesday, April 24, 2018. He noted that many drug users are now overdosing on deadly combinations of cocaine and fentanyl. Fax:412-644-4549, Johnstown:814-533-4547 The Drug Enforcement Administration (in Pittsburgh, PA) and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General led the multi-agency investigation that included members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (in Los Angeles, CA; in Tucson, AZ; in New York, NY; in Nashville, TN; at the Special Operations Division; and in Mexico); the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; the Los Angeles Police Department; the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police; the Allegheny County Police Department; the New Castle Police Department; the Monessen Police Department; and the Pennsylvania State Police. The 50 pounds of cocaine worth $10 million seized in North Braddock this week marked the regions biggest drug bust in recent memory, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala said Tuesday. Subscribe to Pittsburgh Patch for more local news and real-time alerts. ", First published on April 14, 2021 / 3:14 AM. Twelve people have been indicted on charges of importing 7.5 tons of cocaine from Colombia and laundering more than $25 million since 1980, Federal authorities announced today. The 27 people named in the indictment -- including several from the Pittsburgh area -- could face 10 years to life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000 or both. Following is a list of Fayette County residents who were issued warrants: Shelby Feniello, Caleb Langgle, James Cunningham, Mark Tressler, Francis Straughters, Gary Lewellen, Bart Yagla, Fred "Tony" Simon, Scott Lazar, Dale Gould, Jane Gould, Joseph Sherwood, Melissa Hall, Duane Brown, Andreas Key, Stanford Russell, Antwaun Bush, Dontay Stokes, Keith Thomas, Tyrone Brown, Dennis Stewart, Jamie Carraway, Michael Speddon, Thomas Teets, Joshua Snyder, Tabitha Steindl, Jeremy Showman. Their heads conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, '' said Burden 2021 / 3:14 AM drugs then ended on. 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