DUBOIS – Several people arrested after the “Operation Ice Storm” drug investigation had preliminary hearings scheduled for Tuesday during a special session of centralized court in District Judge Patrick Ford’s office.
In March, over 30 people were arrested for their connection with a drug ring that was selling methamphetamine and heroin in the area, according to previously published reports.
The arrests were the result of a year long investigation that involved the DuBois City and Sandy Township police departments, the Clearfield County Drug Task Force, the District Attorney and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
According to one grand jury testimony in the investigation, on April 20, 2015, Robert Selfridge in cooperation with authorities, purchased an eight-ball or 3.5 grams of methamphetamine from Lacey Dean. She told Selfridge that she would be obtaining the drug from “King Douche,” a nickname used by Brian Duttry.
He met with Dean at the DuBois Mall parking lot where he paid her $550. She left that area and drove to Brockway where she met Duttry. Eventually she left him and returned to the mall lot to deliver the drug to Selfridge.
Cassidy Kaizer told the grand jury that she was getting methamphetamine from Eric McDonald, who also used Duttry as a source. Another woman testified that she was getting methamphetamine from Duttry at the end of 2014 into 2015. According to other testimony, Brian Schaeffer would drive Duttry to Philadelphia to pick up the drug.
On April 27, 2015, Duttry allegedly left an eyeglass case containing 26 grams of meth in a jewelry store.
This investigation also involved the execution of a search warrant on a vehicle driven by Hank Petrillo on June 19, 2015. Traveling with him from Philadelphia was Jessica Vicklund and Joseph Alvin. Officers found approximately 12.38 grams of heroin and 12.91 grams of meth in the vehicle. Other items located were related to the packaging of drugs. Alvin had over $2,600 in cash.
A confidential informant had made two controlled purchases from Vickland earlier in June.
Another informant bought meth from Kelly Zameroski, who was arrested after a traffic stop in October. Officers found four grams of meth, $8,000 in cash, ledgers with names of customers listing their drug debts, and packaging materials.
Zameroski told investigators she was getting meth from Selfridge and Nicolette Holzer. She said of the $8,000 found in her vehicle $4,650 was to be paid to Holzer.
Duttry, 33, 1633 Hungry Hollow Road, DuBois, is charged with manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy, criminal use of communication facility and dealing in proceeds of unlawful acts in one case and manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy, criminal use of communication facility, possession of a controlled substance and criminal solicitation/simple assault in another case.
According to the affidavit in the second case, during a drug buy, Duttry asked an informant to beat up a woman for ripping off his girlfriend.
After a preliminary hearing, Ford ruled all charges be sent on to the court of common pleas. Duttry’s bail is $25,000 in each case. Duttry is currently an inmate of the Elk County Jail.
Lacey Marie Dean, 34, 113 Main St., Brookville, is charged with manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy, criminal use of communication facility and dealing in proceeds of unlawful acts. After her hearing Tuesday, Ford sent her charges on to the county court. Her bail is $5,000, unsecured.
According to grand jury testimony, Eric McDonald was at the 312 W. Long Ave. residence of Nathan Smith. When they searched that apartment at the end of August, they found several items used to manufacture meth. The area was evacuated as a precaution.
Smith testified before the grand jury that McDonald stayed one day before returning to Corine Shannon’s apartment.
Shannon testified that McDonald asked if he could stay at her apartment to make meth to sell to pay his landlord. In exchange for the use of their apartment, Shannon said he gave her meth.
McDonald, 30, 320 W. Long Ave., DuBois, an inmate of the jail, is charged with manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy, operating a meth lab, possession of red phosphorus, recklessly endangering another person, and risking a catastrophe. He waived his right to a hearing in March. He remains in the Clearfield County Jail in lieu of $25,000, bail.
The following co-defendants waived their rights to preliminary hearings Tuesday.
Joseph Francis Alvin, 32, 162 Hanes Dr., DuBois, is charged with manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities. His bail is $25,000.
Jessica Vickland, 35, 314 Shaffer Ave., DuBois, is charged with manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy, criminal use of communication facility and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities. Her bail is $25,000.
Kelly Elizabeth Zameroski, 22, 661 Juniata St. Ext., DuBois, is charged with manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy, criminal use of communication facility and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities. Her bail is $100,000.
Nathan Smith, 32, 312 W. Long Ave., DuBois, is charged with manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy. His bail is $1,000.
Corine Darci Shannon, 35, 9 N. Jared St., DuBois, is charged with manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy. Her bail is $10,000.
Frederick Oddo, 46, 226 Jefferson St., Brookville, an inmate of the jail, is charged with deliver firearms after 48 hours elapsed, possession of firearm prohibited, and firearm ownership-duty of other person. He is accused of selling a firearm to Selfridge. In a second case he is charged with false identification to law enforcement. His bail is $10,000 in the first case and $1,000 in the second.
Selfridge had been charged with possession of firearm prohibited, and firearm ownership-duty of other person with his hearing also scheduled for Tuesday. At that time, these charges were withdrawn.
Selfridge is still facing two counts each of manufacture/delivery/possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, possession of firearms prohibited, firearms not to be carried without a license, possession of drug paraphernalia as well as flight to avoid apprehension and default in required appearance. He is scheduled to be sentenced in this case on June 14, according to online court documents.
In unrelated cases, the following defendants waived their hearings, sending their charges on to the county court.
Justin M. Zeruth, 28, 36 Courson Rd., DuBois, is charged with manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, and criminal conspiracy. His bail is $1,000.
According to his affidavit, police went to a hotel room in DuBois Dec. 3 to investigate a report of a strong odor of marijuana. Zeruth and another individual were found in the room allegedly with over $1,000 in cash, drug paraphernalia, and methamphetamine.
Joseph Clair Frantz, 27, 205½ E. Washington St., DuBois, is charged with manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy and possession of a controlled substance. His bail is $1,000. According to his complaint, Frantz was allegedly involved with the sale of 1.24 grams of meth to an informant on March 26.
