HARRISBURG, Pa. – Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today announced that a grand jury investigation led to charges against 11 individuals allegedly involved in a drug ring that trafficked bath salts and other narcotics across multiple counties.
Agents from the Bureau of Narcotics Investigation began an investigation into suspected bath salts trafficking in Crawford and Venango counties in August 2012 by utilizing controlled buys and confidential informants.
The investigation spread into neighboring Erie and Warren counties as it progressed.
Controlled buys were also utilized to make purchases from various defendants, and included Fentanyl and Suboxone, among other prescription narcotics, cocaine, morphine, and heroin. Authorities also made an illegal straw purchase of a .44 magnum Smith and Wesson revolver.
Attorney General Kane thanked the many law enforcement agencies from Warren, Crawford, Erie and Venango counties for their assistance, including the Warren County District Attorney’s office, the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, Conewango Police Department, Youngsville Police Department, Cambridge Springs Police Department, Cochranton Police Department, Meadville Police Department, Titusville Police Department, Edinboro Police Department, Girard Police Department, Oil City Police Department and Sugarcreek Police Department.
The case will be prosecuted in Crawford County by Senior Deputy Attorney General Douglas J. Wright of the Office of Attorney General’s Drug Strike Force Section.
Below is a complete list of the defendants and the charges against them.
Brian Potts, 37, 3 Pearl St., West Hickory, Forest County, is charged with one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance, one count of criminal use of a communications facility and one count of criminal conspiracy to commit delivery of a controlled substance.
Rickey Richards, 35, 17504 N. Main St., Pleasantville, Venango County, is charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, one count of criminal conspiracy to commit delivery of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Jason Jones, 37, 45008 Union Cemetery Road, Titusville, Crawford County, is charged with one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance, one count of criminal use of a communications facility and one count of criminal conspiracy to commit delivery of a controlled substance.
Allison Whitman, 21, 1321 Grandview Road, Oil City, Venango County, is charged with one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance, one count of criminal conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Aisha Mosher, 29, 315 ½ Walnut St., Titusville, Crawford County, is charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Photographs were not provided for the following defendants:
Ronette Nichols, 27, 42011 Second Lane, Titusville, Crawford County, is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Matthew Nelson, 32, currently incarcerated in the Crawford County Prison, is charged with one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance, one count of criminal use of a communications facility and one count of criminal conspiracy to commit delivery of a controlled substance.
Jerrod Wolfe, 36, 354 Chapman Road, Pleasantville, Venango County, is charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Martin Calzada, 29, 628 State Street, Meadville, Crawford County, is charged with five counts of delivery of a non-controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Ashley Richards, 31, currently incarcerated in the Crawford County Prison, is charged with one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance, one count of criminal conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Beverlee Smiley, 49, 831 Liberty St., Meadville, Crawford County, is charged with nine counts of delivery of a controlled substance, nine counts of possession of a controlled substance, and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)
Copyright © 2024 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited.
