CLEARFIELD – A DuBois man accused of making methamphetamine was sentenced Monday during a special sentencing session in Clearfield County Court.
Jason Yusnukis, 26, pleaded guilty to operating a methamphetamine lab and was sentenced by President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman to nine months to three years in state prison.
The charges stem from a report of possible drug activity on Quarry Avenue in DuBois on Nov. 21, 2015 when a resident reported the smell of sulfur in her home.
Prior to sentencing, attorney Curtis Irwin, who is representing Yusnukis, argued that this sentence run concurrent with a three-month to two-year sentence he is currently serving for a probation violation.
He said the court “took care of business” at that time because this case was the reason for his probation revocation sentence.
Ammerman agreed that Yusnukis’ prior record was light and “he’s just done some stupid stuff.” The new sentence will run concurrent with the violation sentence.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, a resident told police her son put items in a duffel bag, and took a smoking bucket with him while fleeing their home. The residents were instructed to leave because of the potential hazards from the chemicals.
It was believed he fled toward Giant Eagle, and he was described as wearing a dark sweatshirt. As an officer checked out some wet footprints on the road, he saw a duffel bag, which appeared to be smoking, lying in a ditch. Beside it was a black sweatshirt.
The footprints led to another residence on Quarry Avenue. The phone Yusnukis was using was checked and it was discovered that he had contacted someone who lived there.
Officers knocked at this residence where a woman answered. She was asked where Yusnukis was, and she directed them to him. He was taken into custody.
When a clandestine lab team pulled items from the duffel bag, they found an active gas generator in a 20-ounce bottle, a jug containing hydrochloric acid, a bottle with sodium hydroxide, tubing, residue, meth, allergy medication, a cold pack and other ingredients for making methamphetamine.
They also discovered a debit card with Jason Yusnukis’ name on it.
Yusnukis is one of the many people charged in “Operation Ice Storm” in March of last year. “Operation Ice Storm” involved the arrests of 30 people in March of 2016 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.
