CLEARFIELD – The cases against two men connected to the “Operation Drive Thru” drug ring were discussed in Clearfield County Court on Tuesday.
Michael Charles Gearhart, 45, West Decatur, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy during plea and sentencing court. He was sentenced to three to six years in state prison. He was fined $3 plus costs.
Prior to sentencing Dave Gorman, who prosecuted the case for the attorney general’s office, stated that Gearhart signed a plea for a three- to six-year sentence in exchange for him testifying during the eight-day trial in January.
The charges stem from an investigation into a drug organization allegedly headed by Michael Styers, who traveled into Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or Wilkes-Barre to acquire drugs for resale in Clearfield County. The investigation was known as “Operation Drive Thru,” because according to grand jury testimony, Charles and Danielle Gearhart of Woodland were allegedly selling to numerous customers who drove their vehicles up to a window of their mobile home on an almost daily basis. Maharaji “Bean” Hemingway was the Philadelphia source for cocaine.
During his testimony, Gearhart said he knew that you could get cocaine from Styers because there was a party in Styers’ garage with people indulging in cocaine. He usually bought a gram at a time and used it there. This happened about a dozen times.
While Gearhart was working in Lansdale, his brother, Charles Gearhart visited their hotel room with cocaine. Michael Gearhart said he didn’t know where his brother got it or how much he had. Previous testimony was that Charles Gearhart got the cocaine from Bean in Philadelphia. In Michael Gearhart’s testimony, he stated he didn’t hear the name Bean until after he was incarcerated.
A motion by Richard William Smeal, 47, an inmate of state prison, asking for credit for time he spent on electronic monitoring was denied by Judge Fredric J. Ammerman during motions court. In February, Smeal pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance-cocaine and criminal conspiracy. He was sentenced to 30 months to six years in state prison for each offense, but the two sentences will run concurrent with each other. Smeal also testified during the trial which was originally scheduled for July 2009.
Smeal, who was out on bail at times during a long delay in the case, violated his supervised bail three times. Smeal was looking for credit for the time he spent on supervised bail and was monitored electronically. Before denying the motion, Ammerman commented that Smeal “kept screwing up” and was not going to give him credit for that.
Smeal will receive credit for 474 days he spent in jail on this case after he was arrested in 2008.
On Feb. 1, a jury found Gearhart, Styers and Hemingway guilty of several drug charges including possession with intent to deliver, criminal conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and corrupt organizations. They are scheduled to be sentenced in April.
