HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday, along with the Pennsylvania State Police and Butler County law enforcement partners, announced the takedown of a cocaine-trafficking ring that made hundreds of trips from Ohio to western Pennsylvania in the past year.
This week, 13 individuals were charged with felony corrupt organizations, drug trafficking offenses, and related crimes. Efforts are ongoing to take all of the charged defendants into custody.
The charges result from a collaborative investigation between the Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, PSP, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Butler County District Attorney’s Office, Butler City Police Department. The investigation also involved Statewide Investigative Grand Jury proceedings.
Investigators allege seven upper-level dealers from Youngstown, Ohio trafficked cocaine and crack cocaine to Butler County, distributing the drugs directly to buyers or through intermediaries who lived in Butler County.
“This criminal organization made routine — sometimes daily — trips into Pennsylvania to distribute poisons into our communities,” Attorney General Sunday said. “Working with our partners, these arrests effectively shut down a major cocaine trafficking pipeline.”
The seven charged Ohio-based dealers are:
- Anthony “Ace” Chilton
- Marquel “Money” Winphrie
- Reinaldo Rosado Lizardi
- Eddie “Ghost” Winphrie
- Jumal McQueen
- Two other men who are not being named as they are still being sought.
The five Ohio-based defendants in custody were arrested this week in Ohio.
Others charged are: Jason White, Mylan Green, Daniel Morehead, Brittany Boring, Shaddi Shanaa, and Donald Vargo.
Investigators allege the Butler County-based dealers were paid in cash or drugs.
U.S. Marshals are assisting in the ongoing arrest efforts.
The cases will be prosecuted by the Office of Attorney General’s Drug Strike Force Section. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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