CLEARFIELD – Two women who testified during the “Operation Drive Thru” drug trial pleaded guilty to drug charges Tuesday in Clearfield County Court.
Danielle Gearhart, 39, Woodland, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance (cocaine) and criminal conspiracy. She was sentenced to four months to one year in jail and three years consecutive probation. She was fined $400 plus costs.
Tammie L. Barney Brolin, 44, Clearfield, pleaded guilty to three counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance (cocaine). She was sentenced to three months to 12 months in jail and three years consecutive probation. Both women must complete drug and alcohol counseling and submit to DNA testing at a cost of $250.
Prior to sentencing Dave Gorman, who prosecuted the case for the attorney generals office stated that both women cooperated with authorities and as a result were receiving lesser sentences with no incarceration. Gearhart has enough time credit from her original incarceration prior to her cooperation and Barney will serve her time on house arrest.
Gearhart apologized to the court and her family for her involvement with the drug ring. Her attorney Stephen Jarrett, informed the court that she has terminated her relationship with her husband, Charles Gearhart, one of the main defendants in the drug case.
The “Operation Drive Thru” drug ring brought vast quantities of illegal drugs intoClearfieldCounty. The drug organization was headed by Michael Styers, who traveled into Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or Wilkes-Barre to acquire drugs for resale in ClearfieldCounty. The investigation was known as “Operation Drive Thru,” because according to grand jury testimony, Charles and Danielle Gearhart were allegedly selling to numerous customers who drove their vehicles up to a window of their mobile home on an almost daily basis.
During the trial testimony indicated that Danielle Gearhart was trying to shield her children from the drug sales by having her husband conduct his business from their bedroom window. She testified that Styers threatened her and her children if she told police about the drugs.
Barney testified that she was with Michael Gearhart when he purchased cocaine from Styers. She was also involved in an incident when another defendant in the case, Jacob Pittman, traded her car to Styers for cocaine.
Charles Gearhart, Styers and Hemingway were found guilty of several drug charges in January. They are scheduled to be sentenced May 24.
