HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced criminal charges have been filed against 49 people accused of selling or possessing heroin and other illegal drugs in Blair County.
The charges are the result of an investigation involving the Office of Attorney General, the Blair County District Attorney’s Office, the Blair County Drug Task Force and Altoona Police.
The investigation focused on the sale of heroin and prescription drugs in Blair County. Suboxone, Methadone, LSD and other drugs were also sold by individuals charged today.
“We want to thank every police and law enforcement agency that worked on this investigation targeting drug dealing in Blair County,” said.
“We’ll conduct these investigations as long as they take to make Altoona and Blair County safer places to live and work.”
“This was an important joint law enforcement operation in Blair County, and we’re glad to know dozens of drug dealers are off our streets,” said Blair County District Attorney Richard Consiglio.
“The collaboration of the Office of Attorney General, Altoona police, the Blair County Drug Task Force and our office were essential. Blair County is safer today as a result.”
Thirty-four of the persons charged today have already been arrested. More arrests are expected in the coming days as the investigation continues.
The Blair County Sheriff’s Department, Pennsylvania State Probation and Parole and the Pennsylvania State Police also participated in the year-long investigation, and Shapiro and Consiglio thanked those agencies, as well.
Shapiro also thanked Operation Our Town, an organization in Blair County that supports the fight against drugs and violent crime. Individuals with information may contact Operation Our Town’s “Push Out the Pusher” hotline at 814-693-3020.
The defendants arrested today will be preliminarily arraigned before Blair County Magisterial District Judge Paula Aigner and prosecuted by Consiglio’s office.
Today’s arrests for drug dealing in Blair County follow on the heels of a successful operation Monday, in which the Office of Attorney General, working closely with other law enforcement agencies, filed criminal charges against 15 people for operating a large-scale heroin pipeline through New York City, York (Pa.) and Altoona.
On Monday, agents with the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, working with the Pennsylvania State Police, Altoona Police, Blair County DA’s office and Blair County Drug Task Force, arrested 12 of the 15 offenders on various drug charges.
Shapiro laid out the results of a grand jury presentment, charging the defendants with operating a pipeline that sold $5 million in heroin over a two-year period in York and Altoona. That pipeline put 750,000 bags of heroin into York and Altoona in 2015 and 2016.
“Whether it’s busting up a major heroin pipeline between New York, York, Pa., and Altoona, or going after street-level drug dealers in Blair County, our agents and prosecutors will keep working to get this poison out of our communities and hold criminals accountable,” Shapiro said.
The following is a list of people charged today in Blair County, their last known addresses and the charges they face:
Persons charged with delivery of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility, criminal conspiracy and possession of drug paraphernalia:
- David Oswalt, 42, of the 200 block of Mulberry St., Hollidaysburg
- Michael Anderson, 49, of the 1000 block of 19th Ave., Altoona
- Alex Saylor, 20, of the 500 block of Knob Ln., Altoona
Persons charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility and criminal conspiracy:
- Marco Milillo, 30, of the 1200 block of Walton Ave., Altoona
- Nathaniel Ingram, 27, of the 800 block of Park Ave., Johnstown
- Brittney Hufford, 28, of the 2700 block of Fairway Dr., Altoona
- Scott Tilson, 32, of the 2700 block of Fairway Dr.
- Roy Dean, 23, of the 3100 block of Colonial Dr., Duncansville
- Tyler Fitzcharles, 27, of the 100 block of Lower Cardinal Ln., Portage
- Shayne Curfman, 19, of the 300 block of S. Eighth St., Altoona
- Susan Nause, 60, of the 1800 block of Fourth Ave., Altoona
- Scott Ridinger, 46, of the 600 block of E. Antis St., Bellwood
- Kari Ellis, 48, of the 100 block of 23rd Ave., Altoona
- Dylan Dodson, 24, of the 1900 block of Fifth Ave., Altoona
- Tyler Schlereth, 24, of the 1800 block of Seventh Ave., Altoona
- Cotey Wigfield, 23, of the first block of Pine St., Tipton
- Kimberly Baker, 38, of the 800 block of Ninth St., Altoona,
- James Reed Jr., 47, of the 2000 block of Old Sixth Ave., Altoona
- Cortez Howard, 58, of the 500 block of 23rd St., Altoona
- Shane Benson, 29, of the 500 block of 12th St., Altoona
- Joshua Hill, 28, of the 400 block of N. Sixh St., Altoona
- Brandon Koehle, 34, of the 2700 block of Furnace Ave., Altoona
- Andre Abram, 36, of the 200 block of Cambridge Square Dr., Monroeville
- Timothy Mollett, 26, of the 3100 block of Versailles Ave., McKeesport
- John McGregor, 59, of the 200 block of Ironville Rd., Tyrone
- Timothy Brown, 33, of the 2100 block of First Ave., Altoona
- Robert Hoey, 28, incarcerated at the Blair County Prison
- Chelsea Deihl, 20, of the 1000 block of Fifth Ave., Altoona
- Brandon Walters, 29, of the 600 block of Crawford Ave., Altoona
- Jason Oswalt, 37, of the 900 block of First Ave., Altoona
- An 18-year-old, of the 300 block of Poplar Rd., Duncansville
Persons charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility:
- Nicole Glasson, 32, of the 5100 block of Broad Ave., Altoona
- Jeffrey Smith, 51, of the 200 block of E. Fourth Ave., Altoona
- Randolph Scott, 47, of the 100 block of Sycamore Dr., Penn Hills
- Byron Sullins, 27, of the 300 block of Village Dr., Tyrone
- Ashely Merritts, 25, of the 2500 block of W. Chestnut Ave., Altoona
- Medina Carnell, 37, of the 1300 block of Second Ave., Altoona
- Miranda Streightiff, 24, of the 700 block of Fifth Ave., Altoona
- Kristin Ebersberger, 25, of the 2800 block of Sixth Ave., Altoona
- Sherry Sunderland, 47, of the 1200 block of N. Fourth Ave., Altoona
- Courtney McConnell, 27, of the 100 block of 18th St., Altoona
- Joseph Vinglass, 47, of the 1000 block of Seventh Ave., Altoona
Persons charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility and possession of drug paraphernalia:
- Elijah Haber, 20, of the 400 block of Grandview Rd., Altoona
- Nicholas Kernicky, 20, of the 400 block of Lemmon Rd., Latrobe
Persons charged with possession of a controlled substance and possessing drug paraphernalia:
- Marli McFalls, 52, of the 200 block of Ironville Rd., Tyrone
- Douglas McFalls, 43, of the 200 block of Ironville Rd., Tyrone
- Caleb Yonkman, 20, of the 300 block of N. Llanwellyn Ave., Glenolden
Robert Holland, 37, of the 500 block of 10th St., Altoona, charged with theft and receiving stolen property.
Nicholas Leonard, 27, of the 200 block of E. Third Ave., Altoona, charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility and theft by receiving stolen property.
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.
