An investigation into heroin and methamphetamine trafficking in has led to the arrest of five suspects and the seizure of seven illegal guns according to a press release from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. Three women and two men were taken into custody during a police operation on May 19. They face a range of charges including weapons possession, drug possession and narcotics trafficking counts.
Police gather evidence over nine months
The investigation into the group’s alleged narcotics trafficking activities was launched in August 2019 when a 44-year-old Gallitzin man and a 32-year-old Altoona woman allegedly sold drugs to a police informant at a Fairway Drive motel. A search of the motel room is said to have led to the discovery of 90 packets of heroin, about 20 grams of methamphetamine and several guns. The man allegedly admitted to police that he received the firearms in return for drugs. Officers soon determined that one of the guns had been reported stolen in Eisenberg and three of them had been taken during a home burglary in Altoona.
Suspects cooperate with investigators
Police gathered additional evidence by examining the man’s phone and convincing his alleged accomplices to cooperate with them. After being taken into custody, the suspects were transported to the Blair County Prison. During their arraignment hearings, the judge set bonds ranging from $25,000 to $150,000. Media accounts do not include descriptions of any drug or cash seizures, but the investigation is said to be ongoing and further arrests are considered likely. Officers assigned to the Blair County Drug Task Force conducted the investigation with assistance from the Altoona Police Department.
Remaining silent following an arrest
The words spoken and the actions taken by individuals in police custody can cast long shadows, which is why experienced criminal defense attorneys may advise individuals in this situation to remain silent until they have talked with a lawyer. Evidence collected during police investigations is not always admissible in court, but spontaneous confessions usually are. If you are taken into custody on drug charges, a defense attorney could suggest that you say nothing until the evidence against you has been reviewed and an appropriate course of action has been decided upon.