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46 people charged in connection with Fayette County cocaine, heroin trafficking ring

FAYETTE COUNTY, Pa. — A total of 46 southwestern Pennsylvania residents have now been arrested and charged in connection with a Fayette County-based cocaine and heroin trafficking ring, authorities said Thursday.

“We believe we have broken the largest interconnected drug organization that has plagued Fayette County for many years,” U.S. Attorney David Hickton said.

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Hickton, the FBI and state police on Thursday announced the major drug ring bust that they said they worked years to break apart.

Pennsylvania residents arrested in connection with the drug ring between August 2014 and January 2016 include:

  • Dexter Allen, 27, of Uniontown
  • Marquis Bailey, 24, of Uniontown
  • Herbert Ballard, 50, of Pittsburgh
  • Tomarrio Blackburn, 33, McClellandtown
  • Leslie Blakey, 50, of Uniontown
  • Gary Bradley, 42, of Arnold
  • Donald Brown, age 44, of Latrobe
  • William J. Chaffin Jr., 48, of Adah
  • David Crews, 40, of Monessen
  • Joseph Croftcheck, 67, of Hopwood
  • Allen Dade; 34, of Brownsville
  • George Daube, 59, of Donora
  • Chalfonte Demery, 34, of McKeesport
  • Barry Douglas, 41, of Waynesburg
  • Anitra Dues, 38, of Adah
  • Jamal Eddings, 34, of Uniontown
  • Kwame Eddings, 35, of Uniontown
  • William Fitzgerald, 41, of Uniontown
  • Vaughn Gaines, age 44 of Uniontown
  • Megan Gall, age 31, of Uniontown
  • Damien Gibson, 41, of Duquesne
  • Gregory Gray, Sr., 53, of Vanderbilt
  • Eugene Grooms, 40, of Brownsville
  • Domin Guerrero-Guerrero, 32, of Lebanon
  • Rodney Harris, 43, of Uniontown
  • Brandon Harrison, 29, of McClellandtown
  • Peter Hawkins, 44, of McKeesport
  • Jermaine High, 42, of Hiller
  • Darnell Howell, 44, formerly of Belle Vernon
  • Mark Johnson, 28, of Uniontown
  • Harold Jones, 27, of Uniontown
  • George Kiss, 27, of Uniontown
  • Richard Lassic, 41, of Washington
  • Terrance Lewis, 42, of Uniontown
  • Prince Linton, age 41, of Uniontown
  • Thomas McGhee, 31, of Cardale
  • Wesley Middleton, 37, of Brownsville
  • Donald Nicklo, age 40, of Uniontown
  • Kendrick Pratt, 35, of Uniontown
  • Kent Ramsey, 42, of Uniontown
  • Andre Saunders, 35, of Uniontown
  • Nygel Saunders, 26, of Uniontown
  • Keith Thomas, 30, of Uniontown
  • Norman Thornton, 61, of Donora
  • Kenneth White, 38, of Uniontown
  • Semori Wilson, 45, formerly of Uniontown

“This group operated for years, poisoning western Pennsylvania with heroin and cocaine, a great contributor to the addiction problem,” FBI Assistant Special Agent Raymond Duda said.

Federal investigators said they sized more than $1 million in cash, guns, homes, cars and drugs in connection with the biggest drug trafficking ring in Fayette County’s history.

“This was a heroin and cocaine shipment group that moved drugs from New York and California to our district,” Hickton said.

Investigators told Channel 11 News that they plan to work tirelessly in the community to prevent new dealers from taking over now that those arrested are off the streets, saying it’s a top priority because people are dying every day.

“What we know is approximately 125 people are dying a day in this country from drug poisoning,” Duda said.

Investigators would not name a kingpin or any specific leader of the drug ring, saying only that they worked together. Officials said they refuse to give any one person extra attention.