December 14, 2009

Attorney General Corbett announces arrest of a Butler County Pagan Motorcycle Club member for alleged involvement in cocaine trafficking

HARRISBURG - Attorney General agents, on Friday, arrested a Valencia man, who is a member of the outlaw Pagan Motorcycle Club, in connection with a cocaine trafficking investigation in Butler County.

Attorney General Tom Corbett said that James Nelson, 48, 326B Denny Road, Valencia, was arrested on Friday (December 11) after agents executed a search warrant at Nelson's residence and seized 22 ounces of cocaine, a sawed-off shotgun, an AK-47 assault rifle, a .22-caliber rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, ammunition, digital scales, drug paraphernalia and clothing items marked with Pagan insignias and patches.

Corbett said that this is part of a continuing drug investigation by his office.

Nelson is charged with four counts of persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control sale or transfer firearms, one count of prohibited offensive weapon, one count of possession with intent to deliver cocaine, one count of possession of cocaine and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Corbett thanked the Butler County District Attorney's office, the Butler County Drug Task Force, the Cranberry Township Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Allegheny County Bomb Squad for their assistance in the investigation.

Nelson was preliminarily arraigned before Butler County Magisterial District Judge Lewis Stoughton and is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail. 

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