CLEARFIELD – Four people charged with selling drugs as a result of “Operation Ice Storm” were sentenced Tuesday during plea and sentencing court.
“Operation Ice Storm” involved the arrests of 30 people in March 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.
Hank C. Petrillo, 28, DuBois, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy. Judge Paul Cherry sentenced him to 27 to 54 months in state prison on each charge with the two sentences to run concurrent with each other.
According to testimony from the grand jury, a search warrant was executed June 19, 2015 on a vehicle driven by Hank Petrillo. 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 more than $2,600 in cash. Petrillo had the type of empty bags associated with the use and distribution of drugs on his person.
Vickland, 36, DuBois, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two to five years in state prison in August and Alvin, 32, DuBois, was given a two- to four-year sentence when he pleaded guilty in September.
Jackie Clyde Yohe, 35, Troutville, pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. He was sentenced to nine months to two years less one day in jail and two years consecutive probation.
According to court documents, Yohe was also making runs to Philadelphia to get methamphetamine. An informant was able to make a purchase of 1.92 grams of meth from Yohe on July 8, 2015. Yohe has two other drug cases still in the court system.
Lacey Marie Dean, 34, Brookville, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. She was sentenced to three months to one year in jail and one year consecutive probation.
According to her affidavit, Dean sold an eight-ball, or 3.5 grams, of methamphetamine to a confidential informant.
Joseph Clair Frantz, 28, DuBois, pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. He was sentenced to nine months to three years in state prison. In a second case, he pleaded guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia. For this, he was given one year probation, which will run concurrent with his first case.
According to his complaint, Frantz was involved with the sale of 1.24 grams of meth to an informant on March 26, 2015.