Criminal Defense Updates

The Pittsburgh criminal defense attorneys at Logue Law Group are noticing that the District Attorney’s Office seems to be cracking down on Drug-Related Offense. There have been a few well-publicized police raids over the past few months statewide. Every now and then, the D.A.’s Office will work with local and state Law Enforcement to shake things up. Their goal is to make an example out of those that they believe are breaking the law. They hope that by delivering quick and harsh punishments that it will motivate others to give up the drug game.

Update: October 2, 2017

Officials are still at it; below is a list containing just a few of the many drug raids conducted in this great state in the last year and a half.

In northern and central Schuylkill County, thirteen people were arrested in a raid that lasted from 6 in the morning until early afternoon. All were charged with delivery of various drugs, from pot to bath salts to Xanax.

In March of 2017, a home in Allentown was raided, and police found cash, a rifle, cocaine, and evidence that the resident was operating a drug dealing business. Officers then went to the homes of the ring leader’s associates and found more drugs and paraphernalia, including a scale and methamphetamine. Each of the eight people arrested in this series of busts is facing multiple charges, huge fines, and years in the prison system.

In June of 2017, an investigation that lasted eight weeks ended with the arrests of 46 people on drug trafficking charges in Chester County. They were busted for OxyContin, heroin, and morphine, among other drugs. Officials are concerned that the number of deaths from overdoses will continue to rise. Fentanyl, which is much stronger than heroin, is often cut into the weaker drug without the customer’s knowledge. The drug user then takes the heroin as usual; the fentanyl in it causes him or her to overdose. Involved in the arrest were the Drug and Organized Crime Unit of Chester County and six local police departments.

In August of 2017, in Hollidaysburg, police arrested sixteen drug dealers who had been operating a ring that had sold 780,000 bags of heroin. Involved in the investigation were the District Attorneys of Montgomery, Cambria, and Blair counties, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Blair and Cambria County Drug Task Forces, Johnstown and Altoona police, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. On September 28, 2017, the Pennsylvania Drug Task Force first arrested two drug dealers in Reading, then went into the very same house and posed as drug dealers. They were able to make an additional nineteen arrests on what they called a “reverse undercover operation.” Police are hoping that arresting drug customers will lead to a lowered opioid abuse problem, and help the addicts get treatment.

Obviously, the raids have not stopped the drug problem. Hopefully, though, they are making people think twice and are slowing down the flood, even if just by a little. Of course, drug busts means more business for the Pittsburgh criminal defense attorneys at Logue Law Group. Just sayin’.

UPDATE: May 2019

The District Attorney’s office has maintained their push to clean up the city and arrest those involved in the drug trade.

In April of 2018, 39 people were dragged into federal court after a raid broke up a large drug ring in the area. Scott Brady, the U. S. Attorney, said this was the biggest case ever prosecuted in the Pittsburgh area. The group had been selling drugs all across the region, from Washington County to the Mon Valley and beyond.

The defendants in the case included a remedial reading teacher at Ringgold Area School District and two brothers from Monongahela Valley, whose incarcerated father was directing the ring. The defendants came from Florida and Georgia as well as the Pittsburgh areas of Donora and Mon Valley. At least one has accepted a plea deal.