Law enforcement agencies from Blair and neighboring counties executed another massive round-up of area drug dealers Friday, serving a total 68 warrants. By the time District Attorney Dave Gorman and Blair County Drug Task Force Agent Randy Feathers held there news conference at 11 a.m. Friday, 33 of those individuals has been apprehended, with the rest expected to be in custody by the end of the afternoon.
Gorman noted that investigators made a total of 49 controlled buys of heroin, 40 of rock (crack) cocaine, 4 each of marijuana and powdered cocaine and 9 buys of prescription medications, including OxyContin. “The total amount of money used in the purchase of these illegal substances equaled around $15,000,” he said. Gorman said that one search warrant had been executed at 1901 7th Avenue, Altoona, resulting in arrests and the confiscation of scales and cash alleged to have been used in drug dealing.
“There are no apparent connections between the individuals arrested,” Gorman said when asked whether any organization had been uncovered. “Though many of them probably had contact with one another on occasions, these were low level to street level dealers.”
Those who were being arrested were processed at the United Fire Department and taken to District Justices in Tyrone, Altoona and Martinsburg for arraignment. If bail could then not be made, the suspects were taken to Blair County Prison.
Of those in custody was Kenneth Myers of Park Avenue, Tyrone. He was charged with one count of delivery of crack cocaine and one count of possession of crack cocaine.
Feathers said that law enforcement agencies, including canine units and special operations units, were utilized to orchestrate the massive operation. “We had some individuals with a history of violence and there was a potential for problems,” he said. “We had an amazing amount of people coming in to do these raids and as big as these raids are, no one was hurt. It’s a pat on the back for these people and their professionalism.”
Gorman noted that this latest drug sweep illustrates how costly it is to investigate drug dealing and he commended the people of the community for their support. He also thanked the State Attorney General’s office for its funding and support in Blair County’s fight against drugs.
When asked whether the recently proposed Drug Court would help alleviate the problem of repeat offenders, Gorman declined to speculate. “I would like to see less repeat offenders,” he said. “But all these individuals obviously won’t seek the help they need and it comes down to the decisions they are going to make. We’re still in the process of working out the details (of the drug court), so it is hard to speculate which individuals would be good candidates.”
Over a dozen agencies and local police departments, including Tyrone, were involved in Friday’s drug arrests.
