HARRISBURG – Sixteen suspects accused of trafficking $800,000 worth of cocaine in and around southeastern Pennsylvania have been arrested by agents from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (BNI) and local police.
Attorney General Tom Corbett said the investigation, known as “Operation Wayward Sons” began in August 2009 and focused on a multi-faceted drug trafficking enterprise operating in Philadelphia, Delaware, Sullivan and Montgomery counties, along with Gloucester County, New Jersey. Evidence and testimony regarding the case was placed in front of a statewide investigating grand jury, which recommended the criminal charges being filed.
The grand jury identified the head of the organization as William Gilkin of Philadelphia. Gilkin allegedly supplied Scott Campanella and Richard Derosa, both of Philadelphia, with multi-ounce quantities of cocaine, which were redistributed throughout the organization to individuals in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Sullivan counties. As the investigation progressed, court authorized wiretaps were approved in order to determine the scope of the organization and to help identify suppliers, including Robert Berry of Philadelphia, who agents identified as Gilkin’s primary source for cocaine.
According to the grand jury, Gilkin paid Berry $850 per ounce of cocaine and then redistributed the drugs to Campanella, who “re-rocked” the cocaine at his mother’s basement in order to double the quantity.
Corbett explained that drug dealers re-rock powder cocaine by adding cutting agents, such as B-12 or inositol, and then press it back into “rock” or solid cocaine to increase the quantity of the drug.
Corbett said that Campanella allegedly kept portions of the re-rocked cocaine for distribution and returned the rest to Gilkin for additional distribution to other members in the organization.
The grand jury found that Campanella and Derosa each had their own distribution organizations and customer base. Five suspects were identified as being part of Campanella’s cocaine network including; Joseph Deluca, Robert Meade, Paul Domenick and Paul Salvatore.
Corbett said that from October 2009 through Dec. 6, 2009, Campanella allegedly supplied these individuals with multiple grams to multiple ounce quantities of cocaine.
Derosa allegedly had four individuals as part of his cocaine distribution network including; Shawn LeGrande, Scott Strader, Ricky Abate and Michael Orlando. Corbett said agents believe the organization was responsible for distributing approximately eight pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $800,000 over the past year.
According to the grand jury, Derosa was also involved in distributing prescription narcotics.
Agents identified Allison Rogivitz of Las Vegas, Nevada, as one of Derosa’s sources of prescription narcotics. Derosa allegedly traveled to Las Vegas in late October 2009, and obtained at least 200 Oxycontin pills from Rogivitz.
The grand jury found that Derosa supplied Gerald Mangold, Diane Derosa, his mother, and others with prescription narcotics. The Grand Jury also found that Diane Derosa was involved in the illegal money laundering of Derosa’s drug profits.
Over the course of the investigation agents seized approximately 27 ounces of cocaine, packaging material, cutting agents, scales and other drug paraphernalia used to package and distribute cocaine.
Corbett noted that this is part of a continuing investigation.
Corbett thanked Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Ferman’s office, the Conshohocken Police Department, the West Conshohocken Police Department, Whitemarsh Police Department and the Montgomery County Correctional Facility for their assistance with the investigation.
The case will be prosecuted in Montgomery County by Deputy Attorney General Andrew Rongaus of the Attorney General’s Drug Strike Force Section.
Below is a list of defendants and the charges against them. –William Gilkin, 39, 3009 South 16th St., Philadelphia, is charged with 15 counts of criminal use of a communication facility, 11 counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, 11 counts of criminal conspiracy, six counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and two counts of corrupt organizations.
–Robert Berry, 50, 6350 Grays Ave., Philadelphia, is charged with six counts of criminal use of a communication facility, four counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, four counts of criminal conspiracy, four counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and two counts of corrupt organizations.
–Scott Campanella, 39, 1810 Husleman St., Philadelphia, is charged with 75 counts of criminal use of a communication facility, 26 counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, 26 counts of criminal conspiracy, 11 counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and two counts of corrupt organizations.
–Joseph DeLuca, 46, 916 Morris St., Gloucester, NJ, is charged with 31 counts of criminal use of a communication facility, seven counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, seven counts of criminal conspiracy, seven counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and two counts of corrupt organizations.
–Robert Meade, 51, 108 Bucks Mountain Lane, PO Box 220, Dushore, Sullivan County, is charged with 15 counts of criminal use of a communication facility, four counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, four counts of criminal conspiracy, four counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and two counts of corrupt organizations.
–Donna Meade, 58, 2229 S. Bonsall St., Philadelphia, is charged with four counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, four counts of criminal conspiracy and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Paul Salvatore, 35, 2414 S. Jessup St., Philadelphia, is charged with two counts each of possession of cocaine, criminal conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility.
–Paul Domenick, 48, 2619 S. 3rd St., Philadelphia, is charged with 24 counts of criminal use of a communication facility, 10 counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine and 10 counts of criminal conspiracy.
–Richard Derosa, 42, 2825 South Alder St., Philadelphia, is charged with 30 counts of criminal use of a communication facility, 24 counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, 24 counts of criminal conspiracy, four counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and two counts of corrupt organizations.
–Diane Derosa, 61, 525 Swarthmore Ave., Swarthmore, Delaware County, is charged with five counts of criminal use of a communication facility, two counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, two counts of criminal conspiracy, two counts of corrupt organizations and one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity.
–Sean LeGrande, 40, 1511 Isaacs Court, Ambler, Montgomery County, is charged with 14 counts of criminal use of a communication facility, six counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, six counts of criminal conspiracy, six counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and two counts of corrupt organizations.
–Scott Strader, 39, 929 South 8th Street, Philadelphia, is charged with seven counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, seven counts of criminal conspiracy, seven counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, seven counts of criminal use of a communication facility and two counts of corrupt organizations.
–Ricky Abate, 53, 51 Jefferson Drive, Glouster Township, is charged with 13 counts of criminal use of a communication facility, two counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, two counts of criminal conspiracy, two counts of corrupt organization and two counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity.
–Michael Orlando, 26, 2420 South Hutchinson St., Philadelphia, is charged with four counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, four counts of criminal conspiracy, four counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, four counts of criminal use of a communication device and two counts of corrupt organizations.
–Gerald Mangold, 41, 1624 McNelis Drive, Southampton, Bucks County, is charged with six counts of criminal use of a communication facility, three counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, three counts of criminal conspiracy, three counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and two counts of corrupt organizations.
–Allison Rogivitz, 32, 1725 Pacific Breeze Drive, Las Vegas, NV, is charged with six counts of criminal use of a communication facility, two counts of criminal conspiracy and two counts of corrupt organizations.