Attorney General Shapiro Brings the Fight against Heroin & Opioid Epidemic to Beaver, Butler, Westmoreland & Cambria Counties

BEAVER COUNTY — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced charges against a Beaver County man for selling fentanyl-laced drugs to two victims who died weeks apart of overdoses. Another 22 drug dealers were also charged today with selling heroin, cocaine and other drugs throughout Beaver County.

Robert “Juice” Goosby, Jr., 27, of Penn Avenue, New Brighton, was charged today by the Office of Attorney General with two counts of drug delivery resulting in death – a tactic law enforcement is using to confront drug dealers amid the heroin and opioid epidemic ravaging Pennsylvania.

“If you sell drugs and someone dies as a result, we’re coming after you and you’re going to jail,” Attorney General Shapiro said at a press conference at the Beaver County Courthouse. “Selling fentanyl or heroin is like playing Russian roulette. You never know when the bullet is coming.”

Today’s arrest is the first time the drug delivery resulting in death charge has been used by the Office of Attorney General in Beaver County. Other cases have been brought in Allegheny, Clarion, Montgomery, Somerset, Wayne and Westmoreland counties. It is a first-degree felony.

Beaver County has been one of the counties hardest hit by the heroin and opioid epidemic, with a 175% increase in overdose deaths in the last year. It ranks 3^rd in the state for its opioid fatality rate.

“We hear the people of Beaver County and across our Commonwealth asking us to take action to help them,” Attorney General Shapiro said. “That’s what we’re doing here today and across Pennsylvania to confront the #1 public health and safety problem in the Commonwealth.”

The drug delivery resulting in death case began in February, when local police found Jonathan Levitt dead of an overdose in his home in North Fayette Township on February 10. An autopsy determined Levitt died of a fentanyl and amphetamine overdose.

On February 28, a second victim, Jeffrey Haslett, was found dead of an overdose in his home in New Brighton. The autopsy revealed Haslett overdosed on fentanyl.

A joint investigation by the Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation with local police in North Fayette and New Brighton led to Goosby as the source of the fentanyl that killed Levitt and Haslett. A statewide investigative grand jury also heard evidence and testimony, and recommended the charges against Goosby filed today.

Attorney General Shapiro also announced today that 22 other drug dealers have been charged with selling heroin, cocaine and other drugs in the Beaver County area. This is the largest sweep of drug dealers in Beaver County since Attorney General Shapiro took office in January. All were charged with delivery of a controlled substance and other drug-related offenses:

• Dennis Alexander, 21, of Beaver Street, Leetsdale
• Jeffery Alford, 22, of 5th Avenue, New Brighton
• Michael Bentel, 42, of 4th Avenue, Beaver Falls
• Jamal Boyd, 29, of 4th Avenue, Beaver Falls
• Jeremiah Collington, 24, of Strawberry Alley, New Brighton
• Ayende Crawford, 27, of 12th Street, Beaver Falls
• Gregory Conrad, 29, of 24th Street, Beaver Falls
• Brandon Graham, 34, of 8th Avenue, Beaver Falls
• Autumn Griffin, 29, of 1st Street, New Castle
• Kelly Guilford, 22, of 9th Avenue, Beaver Falls
• Joshua Heck, 31, of 3^rd Avenue, New Brighton
• Scott Humphries, 33, of Franklin Avenue, Aliquippa
• Blake Imbriale, 29, of Darlington Road, Beaver Falls
• Thomas Jackson Jr, 24, of Glenwood Avenue, Ambridge
• Charles Jones, 38, of W. 1st Street, Oil City
• Ralph Knowlton, 54, of Patterson Avenue, Beaver Falls
• Conrad Newman, 48, of 3rd Avenue, New Brighton
• Tyawana Price, 34, of 8th Avenue, Beaver Falls
• Joseph Rinaman, 32, of Morado Dwellings, Beaver Falls
• Cordell Sain, 25, of Indiana Avenue, Monaca
• Marquis Smith, 24, of Melrose Avenue, Ambridge
• Ian Stewart, 31, of Center Street, Rochester

Attorney General Shapiro was joined at today’s news conference by Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier, who said: “It is only through joint action such as today’s round up of narcotics dealers, and increased efforts to divert drug abusers into treatment rather than jail, that we stand any chance of getting ahead.”

Attorney General Shapiro praised the law enforcement collaboration leading to today’s actions:   “We thank the North Fayette and New Brighton Area Police Departments for their work on these cases, along with every local police agency that assisted with these investigations.”

Attorney General Shapiro’s news conference in Beaver County this morning kicked off a day-long series of events in four Pennsylvania counties. The attorney general is holding meetings with local officials in Butler, Westmoreland and Cambria counties to hear their thoughts and concerns about the epidemic in their communities, along with other issues.

Since taking office in January, Attorney General Shapiro’s office has:

• Arrested 844 drug dealers – an average of three per day.
• Doubled the number of medical diversion arrests (doctors and nurses) from 2016.
• Partnered with law enforcement to destroy more than 29 tons of drugs.
• Distributed 300,000 drug disposal pouches in 17 counties in Pennsylvania.
• Worked with the insurance industry to expand access to drug treatment.
• Helped lead a national, bipartisan investigation into the marketing and sales of prescription pain-killer medications by pharmaceutical companies.