HARRISBURG — Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today announced criminal charges have been filed against 15 individuals accused of distributing or possessing illegal drugs in Clearfield County.
Multiple investigations focused on street- to mid-level dealers accused of distributing heroin, cocaine, marijuana and prescription narcotics.
Agents from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and officers from the Clearfield County Drug Task Force took part in the joint investigations. Law enforcement officials used various tools, including surveillance techniques and undercover purchases, as they worked to file charges.
A statewide investigating grand jury also heard testimony from agents and task force officers, as well as alleged users and distributors of illegal drugs in Clearfield County.
Zachary Quigley and Scott Haversack were charged as a result of a grand jury probe of the alleged distribution of heroin in Clearfield County. Agents reported they made undercover purchases of heroin from Quigley and Haversack.
Three other suspects, Chad Butler, Ashley Kirk and Matthew Smith, were charged after a separate grand jury investigation of the alleged distribution of crack cocaine. The grand jury heard testimony that indicated the crack cocaine was coming from New York to Clearfield County.
This grand jury investigation also resulted in the previous arrest of Luther Ware Jr. of New York, who was transporting large amounts of crack cocaine to Clearfield County for distribution to local dealers and alleged users, such as Butler, Kirk and Smith.
Ware was found guilty during a four-day jury trial in which the commonwealth’s case was presented by Senior Deputy Attorney General David Gorman. Recently, on Aug. 11, Clearfield County President Judge Fred Ammerman sentenced Ware to 11 to 25 years in a state correctional facility.
Manuj McCoon of New York also was an integral part of Ware’s crack cocaine distribution organization, investigators said. McCoon was charged previously by agents from the Office of Attorney General and accepted a plea offer. He is scheduled to be sentenced next month before Ammerman.
Edward Allen, Lashanda Mount, Shaking Saunders and David Batista were also determined by investigators to be involved with Ware’s crack cocaine distribution organization. Allen, Mount and Saunders were all previously arrested in February of last year following a traffic stop by the Lawrence Township Police Department.
Following the traffic stop, the Clearfield County Drug Task Force obtained a search warrant for bags in a vehicle that were owned by Allen and Saunders.
As a result of the search warrant, $7,150 and approximately 38 grams of crack cocaine were seized from a bag owned by Saunders. Additionally, a total of $604 was seized from Saunders’ person at the time of the arrest.
As a result of the traffic stop and execution of the search warrant, Allen, Saunders and Mount were charged with violations of the state’s Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act and related criminal offenses.
As a result of their pleas, Allen and Saunders were sentenced in Clearfield County Court to a minimum of 27 months and a maximum of seven years in a state correctional facility. Mount, as a result of her plea, was sentenced in March to nine to 18 months in the Clearfield County Jail. Her jail term will be followed by two years of probation.
Another individual, David Batista, was also involved in the traffic stop with Allen, Mount and Saunders and was additionally part of Ware’s crack cocaine distribution organization. He was charged in January by the Clearfield County Drug Task Force.
At the time the charges were filed, Batista was incarcerated in a New York Correctional Facility on unrelated charges. Batista pleaded guilty and was sentenced in July by Clearfield County Judge Paul E. Cherry.
Charges filed against the above individuals, as well as charges announced today, are the culmination of cooperative investigations between the Office of Attorney General and the Clearfield County Drug Task Force.
The Office of Attorney General, local law enforcement, the Clearfield County Drug Task Force, and the Clearfield County district attorney’s office, under the leadership of Clearfield County District Attorney William A. Shaw Jr., are committed to removing illegal drugs from the streets in Clearfield County. These agencies also aim to arrest and prosecute those responsible for distributing illegal drugs.
Other participating agencies are the Lawrence Township Police Department, Clearfield Borough Police Department, DuBois City Police Department, Sandy Township Police Department, Curwensville Borough Police Department, Morris-Cooper Regional Police Department, Decatur Township Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania State Probation and Parole, Clearfield County Probation Department and the Clearfield County Sheriff’s Department.
Kane thanked members of the Clearfield County Drug Task Force and local law enforcement that participated in the operation. Additionally, the Attorney General thanked members of the Clearfield County 911 Center and Clearfield County Emergency Medical Services for their assistance and support.
Lastly, Kane thanked Shaw for his continued commitment to the prosecution of those charged with drug violations in Clearfield County.
All defendants will be preliminarily arraigned before Clearfield County Magisterial District Judge Jerome M. Nevling.
Defendants Quigley, Haversack, Butler, Kirk and Smith will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General David Gorman. All other defendants will be prosecuted by Shaw’s office.
The following is a list of individuals charged today, their last known addresses and the charges they face:
- Zachary Quigley, 29, 618 Armor St., Clearfield, is charged with eight counts of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance, four counts of possession of a controlled substance, three counts of criminal use of a communication facility and one count of criminal conspiracy (heroin).
- Scott Haversack, 32, 1407 Lawrence Ave., Hyde, is charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance and one count each of criminal conspiracy, possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility (heroin).
- James Drew, 39, 11956 177th Place, Jamaica, NY, is charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance and one count each of possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility (cocaine).
- Jody Little, 52, 319 E. Market St., Clearfield, is charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance and one count of possession of a controlled substance (cocaine).
- Chad Butler, 32, State Correctional Institution at Houtzdale, is charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance and one count each of possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility (cocaine).
- Ashley Kirk, 27, 212 E. Cherry St., Clearfield, is charged with six counts of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance and three counts each of possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility (cocaine).
- Matthew Smith, 30, 110 S. Third St., Apt. 5, Clearfield, is charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance and one count each of criminal conspiracy and possession of a controlled substance (cocaine).
- Robert Rodriguez, 32, 317 Turnpike Ave., Apt. 3, Clearfield, is charged with four counts of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance and two counts each of possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility (cocaine).
- Nichole Spratt, 27, 290 Nelson Rd., Clearfield, is charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance and one count each of possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility (Subutex).
- Franklin Mooney III, 34, Jefferson County Prison, is charged with eight counts of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance and four counts each of possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility (marijuana).
- Robert Lutz, 28, 88 Sipes Ln., Clearfield, is charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance (purported cocaine).
- Steven Perschka, 29, 72 Trolley St., Winburne, is charged with one count of conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance (purported cocaine).
- Joni Shawley, 34, 261 Maple St., Ramey, is charged with one count each of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility (Adderall/Hydrocodone).
- Derek Brothers, 23, 184 Penn St., Grampian, is charged with four counts of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance and two counts each of possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility (marijuana).
- Gregory Gallaher, 57, P.O. Box 394, Coalport, is charged with six counts of possession with intent to deliver or delivery of a controlled substance, three counts of criminal use of a communication facility and one count of possession of a controlled substance (Percocet).
Individuals who have witnessed a drug deal in their neighborhood or suspect illegal drug activity where they live or work can send an anonymous tip to the Office of Attorney General by texting PADRUGS + YOUR TIP to 847411. Tips may also be submitted electronically here.