Thirty-one alleged drug dealers are facing charges in Blair County after a sweeping takedown led by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. The arrests, culminating from a year-long investigation, targeted individuals flooding Altoona and surrounding areas with heroin, opioids, crystal meth, and diverted addiction medications like suboxone and methadone. Raids were conducted by the Office of Attorney General, Altoona Police, Blair County Drug Task Force, Sheriff’s Department, State Parole, and Pennsylvania State Police.
Among those charged: Thomas Schmidt, 24, of South Deer Run; Russell Grager, 24, of 5th Street, Altoona; Rickie Bollman, 32, of Walnut Avenue; Stephen Shimko, 34, of 10th Street; Edwin Davis, 64, of Lexington Avenue; Sally Pope, 57, of Howard Avenue; Ronald Pierucci, 42, of 2nd Street; Dakota Wilson, 25, of East Crawford Avenue; Allyssa McCaulley, 19, of 10th Street; James Rodgers, 37, of East 5th Avenue; Felicia Simpson, 25, of 15th Avenue; Krystle Zink, 27, of 15th Street; Vincent McFadden, 30, of North 1st Street, Bellwood; Courtney Babcock, 37, of North 2nd Street, Bellwood; Willis Pierce, 49, of Dysart Avenue; Destiny Tatsch, 20, of 14th Avenue; Mary McFadden, 41, of Montrose Avenue; Paul McFadden, 46, of Montrose Avenue; Cameron Scott, 27, of Broad Avenue; Mark Bynum, 39, of 8th Avenue; Amber Schwartztrauber, 24, of Lloyd Street; and James Ke — all booked on charges of possession with intent to deliver and related offenses.
This marks the sixth major drug sweep in Blair County since Shapiro took office in 2017. His office claims nearly 200 drug dealer arrests in the region over the past year — averaging nearly five per day. Six of the cases involved the illegal street sale of suboxone and methadone, medications meant to treat opioid addiction, now being exploited by dealers capitalizing on the very crisis they help fuel.
“Drug dealers aren’t constrained by municipal boundaries, and neither are we,” Shapiro declared at a press conference in Harrisburg. “We hear the people of Blair County — and we’re going to do whatever it takes to arrest anyone selling drugs and fueling an epidemic that is ravaging Pennsylvania.” The operation underscores Shapiro’s aggressive stance on the opioid crisis, which has claimed thousands of lives statewide.
Blair County District Attorney Richard A. Consiglio praised the collaboration, stating, “A big thanks and appreciation goes out to our law enforcement officers for their dedicated and professional work on these investigations. My office, along with those officers, will aggressively prosecute these defendants.” The multi-agency effort included surveillance, controlled buys, and intelligence gathering across city lines and county jurisdictions.
Since taking office, Shapiro’s office has increased arrests of medical personnel for illegal prescription drug diversion by 72%, destroyed over 43 tons of seized drugs — a 65% jump — and distributed 300,000 drug disposal pouches across 17 counties. The AG is also a lead figure in a nationwide probe by 41 state attorneys general targeting pharmaceutical companies for their role in the opioid epidemic. For now, the message in Blair County is clear: the crackdown isn’t slowing down.
RELATED: Fernando Rivera-Rodriguez, 31, Busted in Fentanyl, Heroin Ring
RELATED: 12 Busted in Meth, Heroin, Cocaine Ring Across Western WA
Related Federal Cases
- FCI Schuylkill Inmates Busted in Drug Conspiracy · Pennsylvania
- Cambria County Meth & Fentanyl Ring Busted · Pennsylvania
- Loretto Inmate Busted with Heroin · Pennsylvania
- Oxycodone & Heroin: Raithel Admits to North Hills Drug Ring · Pennsylvania
- Johnstown Crack Ring Busted: Four Face Decades in Prison · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: Pennsylvania AG
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Drug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug Trafficking