AG Nabs 28 Suspected Drug Dealers in Altoona

HARRISBURG – Twenty-eight suspected street-level drug dealers have been charged with dealing a variety of different drugs in and around Altoona, Blair County.
Acting Attorney General Bill Ryan said today’s arrests are the result of a six month investigation into the street-level dealings of cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, LSD and the powerful prescription drugs Percocet, Oxycontin, Morphine, Soma, and Roxicodone.

The majority of the defendants are from Altoona while other local suspects are from Duncansville.

Ryan said that the arrests are part of an ongoing effort to target local, street-level drug dealers, who work in connection with upper-level dealers and organizations.

Over the course of the investigation, agents made a series of undercover purchases and controlled buys in and around Altoona. Additionally, agents and local officers conducted approximately 50 deliveries in the Blair County area.

Ryan said that in addition to the work agents were conducting on the street, information provided to the Blair County “Push out the Pushers” hotline (814-693-3020) was also used to help identify suspected drug dealers.

Ryan tanked the businesses and community leaders involved with “Operation Our Town,” a nonprofit corporation formed by local business leaders to take back local neighborhoods and rid them of drugs and drug related crime.

The defendants are scheduled to be preliminarily arraigned today before Magisterial District Judges Jeff Auker and Paula Aigner. They will be prosecuted by Blair County District Attorney Richard Consiglio’s office.

Ryan thanked Blair County District Attorney Richard Consiglio’s office, the Blair County Drug Task Force, Blair County Sheriff’s Office, the Cambria County Drug Task Force, US Marshalls Service and the State Police for their assistance with the investigation.

Below is a list of the defendants and the charges against them.

–Darwin Herring, 28, 1125 Hall St., Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, is charged with one count each of conspiracy, delivery of cocaine, possession of cocaine, and criminal use of a communication facility.

–Christopher Miller, 26, 519 N. 5th Ave., Altoona, Blair County is charged with three counts of delivery of Percocet/marijuana/Oxycontin, three counts of possession of Percocet/marijuana/Oxycontin and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

–Curtis Gates, 22, 893 27th St., Altoona, Blair County is charged with one count each of conspiracy, delivery of heroin and possession of heroin.

–Anna Giarth, 33, 1623 Sharp Ave., Apt. 2, Altoona, Blair County, is charged with two counts each of conspiracy, delivery of morphine, possession of morphine and criminal use of a communication facility.

–Michael Marshall, 38, 1521 19th Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with two counts of delivery of Oxycontin, two counts of possession of Oxycontin and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

–John “Gotti” Blocken, 26, 119 Lloyd St., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with one count each of conspiracy, delivery of cocaine, possession of cocaine and criminal use of a communication facility.

–Brandon Shaffer, 21, 1624 2nd Ave., 2nd Floor, Altoona, Blair County, is charged with four counts of conspiracy, four counts of deliver of heroin/cocaine, three counts of criminal use of a communication facility and one count of possession of heroin/cocaine.

–Jamie Lykens, 34, 414 4th Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with three counts of conspiracy, three counts of delivery of heroin/cocaine, three counts of possession of heroin/cocaine and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.

–Jonathon Hockenos, 26, 152 Hickory St., Ashville, Cambria County, is charged with one count each of delivery of marijuana, possession of marijuana and criminal use of a communication facility.

–Cory Fetterman, 24, 106 N. 7th Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with one count each of delivery of Suboxone, possession of Suboxone and criminal use of a communication facility.

–Antone Curry, 24, 1998 Stuartevant St., Detroit, MI, is charged with two counts each of delivery of heroin/crack cocaine and possession of heroin/crack cocaine.

–John Stewart, 32, 1119 6th Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with one count each of conspiracy, delivery of cocaine and possession of cocaine.

–Michael Daversa, 26, 1931 1st Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with one count each of delivery of cocaine, possession of cocaine and criminal use of a communication facility.

–Brett Shoenfelt, 21, 422 Marson Lane, Duncansville, Blair County, is charged with one count each of delivery of marijuana, possession of marijuana and criminal use of a communication facility.

–Joseph Hicks, 19, 1511 3rd Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with one count each of delivery of marijuana, possession of marijuana and criminal use of a communication facility.

–Adam Decker, 23, 9550 Charger Highway, Duncansville, Blair County, is charged with one count each of delivery of marijuana, possession of marijuana and criminal use of a communication facility.

–Brian Carney, 28, 1329 18th Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with two counts of delivery of LSD/marijuana, two counts of possession of LSD/marijuana, one count of conspiracy and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

–Paul Parks, 33, 201 E. Spruce Court, Altoona, Blair County, is charged with two counts each of delivery of Oxycontin/Soma and possession of Oxycontin/Soma.

–Steven Skelly, 20, 1627 Bell Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with one count each of delivery of cocaine, possession of cocaine and criminal conspiracy.

–James Morgan Jr., 30, 701 3rd Ave., 1st Floor, Altoona, Blair County, is charged with one count each of criminal attempt delivery of Roxicodone, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal use of a communication facility.

–George Ceballos, 21, 1815 8th Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with one count each of possession of marijuana, delivery of marijuana and criminal conspiracy.

–Robert Hussey III, 19, 2609 Maple Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with two counts each of conspiracy, delivery of marijuana, possession of marijuana and criminal use of a communication facility.

–Korrin Williams, 20, 2711 6th Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with two counts each of conspiracy, delivery of marijuana, possession of marijuana and criminal use of a communication facility.

–Cameron Price, 22, 2620 6th Ave., #2, Altoona, Blair County, is charged with two counts of delivery of marijuana, two counts of possession of marijuana, one count of conspiracy and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

–Robert Gority, 24, 2720 Broad Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with four counts of delivery of cocaine/marijuana, four counts of possession of cocaine/marijuana, four counts of criminal use of a communication device and two counts of conspiracy.

–Christopher Ouelette, 22, 1206 19th Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with two counts of possession of marijuana, one count of delivery of marijuana and one count of conspiracy.

–Ashley Ballos, 22, 1206 19th Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with two counts of conspiracy, two counts of delivery of marijuana, two counts of possession of marijuana and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

–Clifford Jones Jr., 32, 919 22nd Ave., Altoona, Blair County, is charged with one count each of conspiracy, delivery of marijuana, possession of marijuana and criminal use of a communication facility.

(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)