Area officers were present yesterday, along with Attorney General Tom Corbett, Senior Deputy Attorney General Dave Gorman and District Attorney Richard Consiglio, at a press conference held in Altoona to announce the break-up of a $2 million cocaine and heroin ring operating in Blair County.
\nTyrone Chief of Police Joe Beachem, as well as Bellwood officer Joe Schlecht, were both on hand when the announcement was made, stating a cocaine and heroin ring, which made approximately $2 million from June 2006 to December 2007, has been broken-up by narcotics agents from the Attorney General\u2019s Office and local police officers.
\nAttorney General Tom Corbett said the investigation, known as “Operation Blood Clot”, was initiated in 2003, intensified in 2006 and focused on a local drug trafficking network from sources based in New York City between 2003 and 2007.
\nCorbett said yesterday\u2019s drug bust is very significant for Central Pennsylvania.
\nHe explained the arrests included local Blair Country residents, as well as several dealers from the New York City area. Agents identified the cocaine and heroin sources as members of the notorious New York based street gang, “The Bloods\u201d. This included the central figures of the organization; Rakim \u201cBo-Bo\u201d Mayo, Randy \u201cBraids\u201d Hernandez and John \u201cJ-Miz\u201d Miles.
\nCorbett also noted many of the gang members associated with this investigation are known to be extremely dangerous.
\nEvidence and testimony about the alleged drug trafficking was presented to a statewide investigating grand jury, which recommended criminal charges be filed.
\nThe grand jury found seven of the heroin and cocaine suppliers are originally from Brooklyn, New York.
\nAdditional members of the organization live in Blair County. These local individuals served as on-site distributors of the heroin and cocaine.
\nAt the press conference, Corbett said the buyers used two cell phone numbers to contact the New York suppliers in order to place orders for heroin and cocaine.
\nThe New York connections then contacted their distributors in Blair County, telling them the quantity of heroin and cocaine to deliver, the price and the location of the transaction.
\nAccording to the agents, the distributors then directed a courier to take the heroin and cocaine to a designated meeting place for the transaction.
\n\u201cThis organization had a very precise operation in place,\u201d Corbett said. \u201cEach individual had a specific job, which made every drug transaction run smoothly and efficiently.\u201d
\nAccording to the grand jury, the money that was acquired from the sale of heroin or cocaine was wired back to New York City to Mayo, Hernandez, Myers or other Brooklyn associates.
\nCorbett said the charges \u201cstate that heroin and cocaine were brought from New York to Blair County on a weekly basis, sometimes as frequently as every other day.
\n\u201cOn-site distributors for the organization allegedly recruited local individuals to act as runners and many local drug addicts allegedly allowed the New York distributors to use their homes as \u201cstash houses,\u201d in exchange for heroin or cocaine.\u201d
\nCorbett said that many times the \u201cstash houses\u201d were different from the residences where drugs were distributed and the grand jury found that the \u201cstash house\u201d network moved from one residence to another, sometimes staying in one location only for a few hours, in order to avoid arrest.
\nCorbett said that as the investigation progressed agents were able to use a confidential informant (CI) to make a series of 17 controlled purchases of cocaine and heroin. These purchases eventually led to the execution of five search warrants at various Blair County residences.
\nAccording to Corbett, \u201cAgents seized 1,967 bags of heroin with an estimated street value of $78,680, 196 bags of cocaine with an estimated street value of $11,200, $2,700 in cash and various materials associated with the delivery and sale of drugs.\u201d
\nThe grand jury also found heroin or cocaine in Blair County was sometimes traded for guns, which were shipped to New York City.
\n\u201cThis was a dangerous organization,\u201d Corbett said. “Anytime you have individuals trafficking, not only drugs, but gang related activity into your towns it is a serious situation. The message we have for the gang members of New York City is clear, if you plan on setting up a drug business in Pennsylvania, also plan on going to prison for a long time.”
\nHe noted this is part of a continuing investigation.
\nCorbett thanked the New York City Police Department, FBI New York, Blair County District Attorney Richard Consiglio\u2019s office and local police departments, including: Greenfield, Duncansville, North Woodbury Township, Williamsburg, Roaring Spring, Martinsburg, Tyrone, Allegheny Township, Hollidaysburg, Blair Township, Bellwood, Logan Township and Altoona for their assistance with the investigation.
\nTyrone Police Chief Joe Beachem was a part of the operation since it began.
\nHe spoke to those in attendance, saying some activity involving this drug ring has occurred in Tyrone.
\nAlthough, he added, there was \u201cnothing in particular (in Tyrone), they were using Tyrone as well as many other areas…\u201d
\nAccording to a press release, Hernandez, Miles and Mayo were arrested on Tuesday, Feb. 26, by New York City Police and FBI agents in New York. They will be extradited to Pennsylvania.
\nThe defendants are scheduled to be arraigned before Altoona Magisterial District Judges Steve Jackson and Jeff Auker and will be prosecuted in Blair County by Senior Deputy Attorney General David Gorman of the Attorney General’s Drug Strike Force Section.
\nA list of defendants, and the charges against them, was also released at yesterday\u2019s press conference.
\nNew York City (Brooklyn) Bloods Gang Members:
\n\u2022 John \u201cJ-Miz\u201d Miles, 19, 1019 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, is charged with 41 counts of possession with the intent to deliver, 34 counts of delivery, six counts of illegal use of a communications facility, two counts of corrupt organizations, and one count each of criminal conspiracy and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity.
\n\u2022 Gregory \u201cG-Baby\u201d Brown, 19, 49 McDonnough St., Brooklyn, NY, is charged with 41 counts of possession with the intent to deliver, 34 counts of delivery, six counts of illegal use of a communications facility, two counts corrupt organizations and one count each of criminal conspiracy and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity.
\n\u2022 David \u201cDollar\u201d Wright, 25, originally from Brooklyn, NY, currently incarcerated at Southern State Correctional Facility, Springfield, VT, is charged with 41 counts of possession with the intent to deliver, 34 counts of delivery, six counts illegal use of a communications facility, two counts corrupt organizations and one count each of criminal conspiracy and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity.
\n\u2022 Rakim \u201cBo\/Bo-Bo\u201d Mayo, 19, 140 Menahan St., Brooklyn, NY, is charged with 41 counts of possession with the intent to deliver, 34 counts of delivery, six counts illegal use of a communications facility, two counts corrupt organizations and one count each of criminal conspiracy and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity.
\n\u2022 Johnathan \u201cJohn-Boy\u201d Tucker, 21, originally from Brooklyn, NY, currently incarcerated in the New York State penal system, is charged with 41 counts of possession with the intent to deliver, 34 counts of delivery, six counts illegal use of a communications facility, two counts corrupt organizations and one count each of criminal conspiracy and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity.
\n\u2022 Randy \u201cBraids\u201d Hernandez, 20, 1019 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, NY, is charged with 41 counts of possession with the intent to deliver, 34 counts of delivery, six counts illegal use of a communications facility, two counts corrupt organizations and one count each of criminal conspiracy and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and
\n\u2022 Lemel \u201cGab\u201d Myers, 20, currently incarcerated in the State Correctional Institution at Mahanoy, is charged with, 34 counts of possession with the intent to deliver, 27 counts of delivery, five counts of criminal use of a communications facility, two counts of corrupt organizations and one count each of criminal conspiracy and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity.
\nDistributors for the organization included:
\n\u2022 Chandra Taylor, 27, RD 4, Box 203K, Tyrone, is charged with two counts of possession with the intent to deliver, two counts of delivery and one count of criminal conspiracy.
\n\u2022 Jessica Albright, 29, 514 Pennsylvania Ave., Apt. #13, Tyrone, is charged with two counts of possession with the intent to deliver, two counts of delivery and one count of criminal conspiracy.
\n\u2022 Steven Carroll, 27, 338 S. 2nd St., Bellwood, is charged with two counts of possession with the intent to deliver, two counts of delivery and one count of criminal conspiracy.
\n\u2022 Randy Osterhout, 26, RD 5, Box 642, Tyrone, is charged with two counts of possession with the intent to deliver, two counts of delivery and one count of criminal conspiracy.
\n\u2022 Brian Osterhout, 22, Spruce Street Extension, Tipton is charged with two counts of possession with the intent to deliver, two counts of delivery and one count of criminal conspiracy.
\n\u2022 Brittany Guida, 21, 1064 Pennsylvania Ave, Tyrone, is charged with two counts of possession with the intent to deliver, two counts of delivery and one count of criminal conspiracy.
\n\u2022 Charles Gummo, 27, 210 5th St., Huntingdon, is charged with two counts of possession with the intent to deliver, two counts of delivery and one count of criminal conspiracy.
\nOthers charged include: Ashlee Claar, 21, State Correctional Institute at Muncy; Sandra Williams, 34, Claysburg; Anthony Harding, 23, Altoona; Dorrell Colbert, 21, Altoona; Michael Mock, 26, Altoona; Dustin Kelly, 23, State Correctional Institute at Graterford; Elsebeth Eaton, 46, Hollidaysburg; Jared Hoffmaster, 23, Huntingdon; Brandon England, 24, Williamsburg; Mindy Allen, 25, Altoona; Nicholas Allen, 24, Altoona; Joshua Schraff, 25, Altoona; Doug Evans, 39, State Correctional Institute at Albion; Jess Cartwright, 22, Blair County Prison and Raymond Balliet, 28, Altoona.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Area officers were present yesterday, along with Attorney General Tom Corbett, Senior Deputy Attorney General Dave Gorman and District Attorney Richard Consiglio, at a press conference held in Altoona to announce the break-up of a $2 million cocaine and heroin ring operating in Blair County. Tyrone Chief of Police Joe Beachem, as well as Bellwood […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-local-news-in-the-tyrone-pennsylvania-area","category-excerpts-from-the-tyrone-daily-herald"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1313","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1313"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1313\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1313"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1313"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tyronepa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1313"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}