Attorney General Tom Corbett and several law enforcement officials appeared in Altoona on Monday for a press conference to announce the arrest of several dozen drug suspects.
The arrests were conducted throughout the day as a result of a four-month investigation into alleged mid-level and street-level sales of heroin, cocaine, marijuana and prescription drugs in Blair County. The suspects included at least 16 people from the Tyrone area.
Corbett said during the course of the investigation, undercover agents and task force officers made more than 80 controlled drug purchases from dealers operating mainly in Tyrone and Altoona. The vast majority of the deals involved heroin and cocaine.
“We are here today to send a clear message that drug dealing will not be tolerated in Blair County, or in any Pennsylvania community,” Corbett said. “The streets of Altoona, Tyrone and other local communities belong to the law-abiding citizens of Blair County, not drug dealers, and we will continue with these investigations and these arrests until everyone gets that message.”
Corbett said the most recent investigation focused on street-level drug sales as well as their mid and upper-level drug suppliers.
Drug Task Force regional director Randy P. Feathers told The Daily Herald the bust was one of the biggest in recent times. He credited the continuing cooperation of the municipal police agencies that work with the drug task force. He made particular note of the work done by Tyrone police officers.
In addition to the local suspects, the attorney general noted the investigation has also developed information about potential drug connections outside the Altoona area and outside of the state including drug dealers from Baltimore, MD. Authorities also continue to investigate a possible New York City connection to heroin trafficking in Altoona and Tyrone.
Corbett noted the specter of possible gang-related activity. He said documents seized during that search appear to indicate these suspects were involved in an effort to establish a larger drug distribution organization in Altoona, and that they may be affiliated with New York-based gangs.
Two Brooklyn men were arrested earlier this month after allegedly selling drugs to undercover officers. Drug manufacturing and packaging materials were seized.
The Daily Herald had previously reported a Tyrone drug bust with New York City connections in late September that Corbett’s office noted in a press release detailing the new arrests.
Task force officers in Tyrone arrested five New York men on Sept. 29. Those arrests resulting in the seizure of 34 grams of heroin, along with crack cocaine and packaging materials. That investigation also led to additional arrests.
Magisterial District Judges Fred Miller and Joseph Moran conducted arraignments for those taken into custody yesterday.
In addition to the attorney general’s office, yesterday’s drug sweep involved several law enforcement agencies. Corbett thanked the officers and police departments from the Blair County Drug Task Force, the Huntingdon County Drug Task Force, the Clearfield County Drug Task Force, the Mifflin County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Somerset County Sheriff\’s Office for their assistance in the investigation and the arrests.
The cases will be prosecuted by the Blair County District Attorney’s office.
The following is a list of Tyrone area suspects released by the attorney general’s office.
Suspects arraigned before Judge Miller yesterday were:
• William Poullos III, 402 Washington Ave., Apt. C- one count each possession, delivery, criminal conspiracy of heroin. Bail was set at $5,000 straight;
• Hillary Shutt, 8 East 15th Street- one count each, possession and delivery of heroin. Bail was set at $8,000 straight;
• Tessa Ann Shutt, 402 Washington Ave., Apt. D- two counts each, possession and delivery. Bail was set at $8,000 straight in each of her cases;
• Catherine L. Watson, 1111 Logan Ave., 2nd Fl.- four counts each, possession and delivery of heroin. Bail was set at $3,500 straight;
• Matthew Ray Watson, 1111 Logan Ave., 2nd Fl.- four counts each, possession and delivery of heroin. Bail was set at a total of $31,000 straight on multiple cases;
• Jessica Nicole Wertz, 103 W. 13th St.- three counts each, possession and delivery of heroin. Bail was set at $32,000 straight total on multiple cases;
• James A. Woomer, RD 3, Box 217D- two counts each, possession and delivery of heroin. Bail totaled $11,500 straight and
• Melissa Zimmerman, RD4, Box 203T- one count each, criminal conspiracy, possession, delivery of heroin. Bail was set at $5,000 straight.
All of the above suspects were placed in Blair County Prison after their arrests.
Judge Miller also handled arraignments for the following suspects:
• Joshua Leo Thompson, 701 N. 10th St., Altoona (more recently at Blair County Prison.), one count each possession and delivery of heroin. His bail was set at $8,000 straight and he was remanded to Blair County Prison and
• Thomas Gority, RD3 Box 219C, Altoona- one count possession and delivery. Bail was set at $5,000 straight. Gority was placed in Blair County Prison after his arraignment.
Also arrested yesterday was Kristopher Yaniello, 1208 Hamilton Ave., for one count each, possession and delivery of heroin. Judge Miller’s office had no information on his case.
Arrest warrants for the following people were issued. Some may have been taken into custody since yesterday’s arraignments:
• Benjamin Brower, 607 W. 21th St.- one count each, possession and delivery of heroin;
• David E. Brower, 2 Stewart St., Tyrone- one count each possession, delivery of heroin;
• George J. Mort, Jr., 1513 Pennsylvania Ave.- one count each, possession and delivery of (fake) heroin;
• Robert L. Shaffer, 103 9th St., Apt. 3- one count each, possession and delivery of Vicodin;
• Stephanie Snyder, P.O. Box 262- one count each, possession and delivery of heroin;
• Michael Woomer, Jr., RD3 Box 39, Apt. 31, Coachlite Apartments- two counts each, possession and delivery of heroin;
• Jason Lynn Woomer, 704 W. 16th St.- two counts each, possession and delivery of heroin and
• Brandon S. Williams, 2235 S. Morrissey Lane- two counts each, possession and delivery of heroin.
