14 drug dealers arrested, three charged in Blair County street-level sweep
Friday, December 26, 2014
press release 12/22/2014
HARRISBURG – Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today announced the arrest of 14 suspected drug dealers and charges against three others for dealing a variety of illegal narcotics following a street-level sweep in Blair County.
The charges are the culmination of a year-long cooperative investigation between the Office of Attorney General and the Blair County Drug Task Force into the distribution of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, bath salts and prescription narcotics in and around Altoona.
Over the course of the investigation agents made a series of undercover purchases and controlled buys in locations throughout Blair County. Information gathered from these investigations, including sources of supply, is used to target mid- to upper-level drug dealers by the Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (BNI) agents and drug prosecutors.
Attorney General Kane thanked the Altoona Police Department, Blair County Sheriff's Department, Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, Pennsylvania State Police, Blair County Drug Task Force and Operation Our Town for their assistance with the investigation.
The defendants will be preliminarily arraigned before Blair County Magisterial District Judge Fred Miller and will be prosecuted by Blair County District Attorney Richard Consiglio's office.
Individuals who have witnessed a drug deal in their neighborhood or suspect illegal drug activity where they live or work can send an anonymous tip to the Office of Attorney General by texting PADRUGS + YOUR TIP to 847411.
Below is a complete list of the defendants and the charges against them (those still at large are in boldface):
-- Andrew Adams, 49, 1018 17th Ave., Altoona, is charged with three counts of delivery of crack cocaine, three counts of possession of crack cocaine and three counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- David Adams, 30, 2639 Dickinson St. Philadelphia, is charged with one count of criminal conspiracy, two counts of delivery of cocaine, two counts of possession of cocaine and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Rikki Cobler, 32, 119 Heather Lane, Hollidaysburg, is charged with one count of delivery of Suboxone, one count of possession of Suboxone and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Christine Crider, 34, 405 E. Walnut Ave., Apt. L, Altoona, is charged with one count of delivery of oxycodone, one count of possession of oxycodone and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Brooke Dippolito, 22, 808 Sheridan St., Altoona, is charged with one count of delivery of heroin, one count of possession of heroin and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Dustin Edwards, 26, 403 E. Walnut Ave., Apt. C, Altoona, is charged with one count of delivery of heroin, one count of possession of heroin and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Donald Forshey, 31, 119 Nora Drive, Duncansville, is charged with one count of delivery of OxyContin, one count of possession of OxyContin and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Louis Maria IV, 26, 1106 25th Ave., Altoona, is charged with one count of delivery of oxycodone, one count of possession of oxycodone and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Jeffrey Pentland, 32, 1535 Princeton Road, Altoona, is charged with two counts of delivery of heroin, two counts of possession of heroin and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Jeffrey Robertson Jr., 20, 3332 Lynnwood Drive, Altoona, is charged with one count of criminal conspiracy, two counts of delivery of heroin, two counts of possession of heroin and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Dwayne Rickabaugh, 35, 1327 16th Ave., Altoona, two counts of delivery of oxycodone and marijuana, two counts of possession of oxycodone and marijuana and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Heather Roberts, 29, 1617 2nd Ave., Altoona, is charged with one count of delivery of heroin, one count of possession of heroin and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Jennifer Streightiff, 32, 3185 Colonial Drive, Duncansville, is charged with one count of delivery of Suboxone, one count of possession of Suboxone and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Patrick Marlin, 41, 2510 Beale Ave., Altoona, is charged with one count of delivery of bath salts, one count of possession of bath salts and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Lawrence Hewitt, 45, 601 4th Ave., Altoona, is charged with two counts of criminal conspiracy, two counts of delivery of marijuana, two counts of possession of marijuana and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Russell Dougherty, 60, 1100 11th St., Apt. 516, Altoona, is charged with three counts of delivery of heroin, three counts of possession of heroin and three counts of criminal use of a communication facility.
-- Michael Reid, 42, Blair County Prison, is charged with one count of criminal conspiracy, one count of delivery of heroin, one count of possession of heroin and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)