HARRISBURG – Thirty-seven suspected drug dealers, accused of dealing prescription drugs and illegal drugs were charged today following a street-level sweep in Blair County by state narcotics agents and local police.
Attorney General Linda Kelly said the arrests are the result of an eight month cooperative investigation into the alleged street-level drug dealing in the Altoona area.
Kelly said the defendants are charged with dealing a variety of different narcotics including; heroin, marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, and crack cocaine. Additionally, many of the defendants allegedly sold and trafficked highly addictive prescription pain killers including; Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Oxycontin, Endocet, Morphine, Suboxone, Fentynal, and Clonazepam.
Over the course of the investigation, agents made a series of undercover purchases and controlled buys in and around Blair County. The Altoona area remains a focus of attention for drug suppliers from outside Central Pennsylvania due to the increased drug demand.
Kelly said investigators were assisted in their undercover work by information forwarded from Blair Counties’ “Push Out the Pushers” hotline (814-693-3020). The Blair County Drug Task Force, which receives its funding from the Attorney General’s Office, was established to conduct street-level drug investigations.
Information gathered from these investigations, including where the drug dealers obtain their drugs, is used to target mid-to upper-level drug dealers by BNI agents and Attorney General drug prosecutors.
Kelly thanked the businesses and community leaders involved with Operation Our Town, a nonprofit formed by local business leaders to take back local neighborhoods and rid them of drugs and drug related crime.
Kelly also thanked Blair County District Attorney Richard Consiglio, the Blair County Sheriff’s Office, the Blair County Prison, the Blair County Drug Task Force, and Blair County 911 for their assistance with the investigation.
The defendants will be preliminarily arraigned before Magisterial District Judges Ormsby and Miller. They will be prosecuted by Blair County District Attorney Richard Consiglio’s office.
Below is a complete list of the defendants and the charges against them.
–Robert Campbell, 45, 713 1stAve., Altoona, is charged with two counts of conspiracy, two counts of delivery of Oxycodone/Hydrocodone, two counts of possession of Oxycodone/Hydrocodone, and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Tyler Welsh, 29, 1732 Woodbury Pike, Loysburg, Bedford County, is charged with two counts of conspiracy, two counts of delivery of Oxycontin, two counts of possession of Oxycontin, and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Kevin Oberman, 29, 1322 Ridge Road, New Enterprise, Bedford County, is charged with two counts of conspiracy, two counts of delivery of Oxycontin, two counts of possession of Oxycontin, and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Earl Ling, 56, 1917 West Chestnut Ave., Altoona, is charged with two counts of delivery of Oxycontin, two counts of possession of Oxycontin, and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Herbert Housel Jr., 54, 20 Frankstown Road, Hollidaysburg, Blair County, is charged with three counts of delivery of Oxycodone/Endocet, three counts of possession of Oxycodone/Endocet, and three counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Richard Hollabaugh Jr., 33, 628 South Logan Blvd., Altoona, is charged with five counts of conspiracy, five counts of delivery of Oxycodone, five counts of possession of Oxycodone, and five counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Helen Bradley, 51, 911 Green Ave., Towers Apt. 201, Altoona, is charged with five counts of conspiracy, five counts of delivery of Oxycodone, five counts of possession off Oxycodone, and five counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Gregory Henderson, 31, 315 1stAve., Altoona, is charged with two counts of delivery of heroin, two counts of possession of heroin, and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
–William Frye, 49, 510 Weaver St., Altoona, is charged with two counts of delivery of morphine, two counts of possession of morphine, two counts of criminal use of a communication facility, one count of conspiracy, and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
–Steven Frye, 50, 113 Weaver St., Altoona, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of delivery of morphine, one count of possession of morphine, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Dana Ewing, 30, 1204 Cameron Ave., Tyrone, Blair County, is charged with one count of delivery of Suboxone, one count of possession of Suboxone, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Michael Blackie Jr., 27, 2021 8thAve., Apt. 2, Altoona, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison, is charged with four counts of delivery of marijuana, four counts of possession of marijuana, four counts of criminal use of a communication facility, two counts ofpersons not possess, use manufacture, or sell firearms,and two counts of firearms not to be carried without a license.
–Carol Black, 65, 406 4thAve., Altoona, is charged with one count of delivery of Hydrocodone, one count of possession of Hydrocodone, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Albert Overman, 27, 1915 West Chestnut, 3rdFloor, Altoona, is charged with three counts of conspiracy, three counts of delivery of heroin, three counts of possession of heroin, and three counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Levi Hollen, 21, 108 Sylvan Acres, Tyrone, Blair County, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison, is charged with two counts of conspiracy, two counts of delivery of heroin, and two counts of possession of heroin.
–Jesse Wicker, 33, 2621 West Chestnut Ave., 2ndFloor, Altoona, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison, is charged with two counts of conspiracy, two counts of delivery of heroin, two counts of possession of heroin, and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Jeremiah Morgan, 32, 23 Laughlin Circle, Altoona, is charged with two counts of criminal use of a communication facility, two counts of theft, one count of conspiracy, one count of criminal attempt, one count of delivery of heroin, and one count of possession of heroin.
–Justin Loomis, 25, 400 Spruce Ave., Altoona, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison, is charged with two counts of delivery of heroin, two counts of possession of heroin, two counts of criminal use of a communication facility, and one count of conspiracy.
–Brittany Johnson, 22, 400 Spruce Ave., Altoona, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of delivery of heroin, one count of possession of heroin, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Patrick Brister, 52, 2302 W. Chestnut Ave., 1stFloor, Altoona, is charged with one count of delivery of Fentynal and one count of possession of Fentynal.
–Jay Dempsey, 37, 110 4thSt., Altoona, is charged with four counts of conspiracy, four counts of delivery of marijuana, four counts of possession of marijuana, and four counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Ashley Decriscio, 24, 508 2ndSt., Altoona, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of delivery of Oxycontin, one count of possession of Oxycontin, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Michelle Dixon, 46, 2423 Broad Ave., Side Apartment, Altoona, is charged with three counts of conspiracy, three counts of delivery of Oxycontin/Suboxone, three counts of possession of Oxycontin/Suboxone, and three counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Wayne Houston, Age Unknown, 911 Green Ave. Towers, Apt. 216, Altoona, is charged with two counts of conspiracy, two counts of delivery of Oxycontin, and two counts of possession of Oxycontin.
–Shawn Keirn, 28, 619 Crawford Ave., Altoona, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of delivery of Suboxone, and one count of possession of Suboxone.
–Scott Dixon, 38, 2423 Broad Ave., Side Apartment, Altoona, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of delivery of Oxycodone, and one count of possession of Oxycodone.
–Arin Noonan, 23, 1000 South Kettle St., Altoona, is charged with one count of delivery of heroin, one count of possession of heroin, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Shawn Pepin, 21, 123 East Maple Court, Altoona, is charged with one count of delivery of Suboxone, one count of possession of Suboxone, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Qasim Green, 18, 1536 2ndSt., Altoona, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of delivery of crack cocaine, one count of possession of crack cocaine, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Steven Carroll, 32, 1358 Washington Ave., Tyrone, Blair County, is charged with one count of delivery of Clonazepam, one count of possession of Clonazepam, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Teeha Rodgers, 30, 1915 W. Chestnut Ave., 3rdFloor, Altoona, is charged with three counts of conspiracy, three counts of delivery of heroin, three counts of possession of heroin, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Ryan Miller, 24, 324 Maple Ave., Altoona, is charged with one count of delivery of marijuana, one count of possession of marijuana, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Andy Buros, 38, 407 Kettle St., Altoona, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of delivery of heroin, and one count of possession of heroin.
–Robert Collazo, 49, 1716 13thAve., Basement Apartment, Altoona, is charged with one count of delivery of Ecstasy, one count of possession of Ecstasy, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
–Stephen Payne, 22, 600 Bell Ave., Altoona, is charged with two counts of conspiracy, two counts of delivery of heroin/Fentanyl, and two counts of possession of heroin/Fentanyl.
–William Caldwell, 41, 608 5thAve., Altoona, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison, is charged with three counts of delivery of heroin/cocaine, three counts of possession of heroin/cocaine, three counts of criminal use of a communication facility, and one count of conspiracy.
–Michael Nichols, 30, 1019 Howard Ave., Altoona, Currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison, is charged with one count of criminal attempt, one count of criminal use of a communication facility, one count of delivery of heroin, and one count of theft.