HARRISBURG—Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that the Office of Attorney General, in partnership with the McKeesport and Elizabeth Township Police Departments and the District Attorney’s Narcotics Enforcement Team (DANET) shut down a drug trafficking enterprise in McKeesport. Agents seized three shot guns, two rifles, a handgun, $6,500 in cash, and more than $50,000 in substances including heroin and methamphetamine.
Since launching the Office’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigations Region V Strategic Response Team in July 2021, agents have made twelve arrests and executed five search warrants in partnership with local law enforcement.
“Gun and drug trafficking is a dangerous and often violent enterprise,” said Attorney General Shapiro. “Thanks to our partnership with local law enforcement partners, these unsecured weapons could not be released into neighborhoods and communities to wreak havoc. We’re committed to stopping these trafficking operations wherever they’re found.”
Agents from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigations and officers from DANET, as well as the McKeesport and Elizabeth Township Police Departments, executed a search warrant at the home of Franklin Gribschaw, 42. While executing the search warrant, agents seized $6,540 in cash, 5 long guns, including three shot guns, two AR style 22 caliber rifles (1 with an obliterated serial number), a handgun, 461 grams of crystal methamphetamine, worth more than $46,000, 59 grams of crack cocaine, 59 grams of cocaine, 50 grams of MDMA, 22 bricks or more than 3,000 doses of heroin, individual doses of Xanax, and drug paraphernalia.
The strategic effort in McKeesport has also seized 77.4 grams or over 12,000 doses of heroin, 0.6 grams of fentanyl, 59 grams of cocaine, 125.2 grams of crack cocaine, 997 grams of marijuana, 478 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 50 grams of MDMA, and 600 Xanax pills. In addition, they have seized nine guns and more than $20,000 in cash.
Gribschaw is being charged with Possession With Intent To Deliver A Controlled Substance, Delivery Of A Controlled Substance, Possession Of A Controlled Substance, Endangering The Welfare Of A Child, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Criminal Use Of A Communication Facility. This case is being prosecuted by the Allegheny County District Attorney. All charges are accusations. The defendant is innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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