Well continue working with our law enforcement partners to keep this region safe.. This law enforcement action is the result of wiretaps and a year-long grand jury investigation into a drug trafficking network between Philadelphia and Blair counties which authorized the arrest of 17 individuals including the Philadelphia sources of methamphetamine and Blair Countys upper and mid-level dealers. Email: Police said the joint investigation by the state Attorney Generals Office and Altoona police is ongoing. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. Fax: ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) Two people are in custody in what police say is one of the biggest methamphetamine busts to ever take place in Blair County with more arrests to come. Authorities note that additional arrests will be announced at a later date, as a result of the investigation. Eckert was brought in next to be interviewed by officials. All rights reserved. He's set to appear In court on . Eckert would continue to meet with officials and update them on any messages that C would send. PA Office of Attorney General / Press Office Today's breaking news and more in your inbox. What was in the sky Wednesday night in Pennsylvania? First published on April 26, 2021 / 7:41 AM. ALTOONA, Wis. (WEAU) - A large drug bust in Altoona results in 20 charges against four people. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. According to the Altoona Police Department, Jonathan Delacruz and Tori Wilt were arrested on Tuesday following the execution of two search warrants. Eckert was arrested at a home in Altoona and was sent to Blair County Central Booking for processing and arraignment while Walter is currently incarcerated and is expected to be arraigned tomorrow, Sept. 24. Altoona police say two individuals were arrested and charged this week following a large-scale methamphetamine bust in Blair County. Eckert explained how she would meet C every two weeks to buy more drugs and that Walter was along for a few trips. Mercy Hospital established a new credit union with Samuel Raneri as president and BELLWOOD Aquatic design architect Edwin Wallover has been conducting community meetings for pool projects since From Mirror staff reports After conducting a traffic stop, both Eckert and Walter were taken into custody and interviewed. Community / 3 days ago. 50 years ago: March 1, 1973 Harrisburg, PA 17120 Walter and Eckert currently face multiple drug felony counts of manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, criminal use of communication facility. Both await a preliminary hearing for Oct. 7. 717-787-3391. PA Office of Attorney General / Press Office 21 grams of a white powder, suspected to be fentanyl, Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Assisted suicide bill proposed by 6 Pa Lawmakers, Hungry? Today, Sept. 23, police received arrest warrants for Erica Eckert, 43, of Altoona and Jayme Walter, 42, of Roaring Spring, who both face alleged drug charges after police conducted an investigation that took three months into possible meth distribution in the Altoona/Blair County area. Montonya is facing suspected charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of THC (2nd+ offense), possession of drug paraphernalia, obstructing an officer, and felony bail jumping. Altoona Police say the 21-year-old and another person were bringing thousands of packets of heroin from Pittsburgh to Altoona. December 15, 2021 / 11:08 AM / CBS Pittsburgh. Police then took her phone to search and told her that she would get it back after the search, according to the complaint. He's set to appear In court on Wednesday. ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) - A multi-vehicle crash on Pleasant Valley Boulevard has left the road closed in both directions . The defendants will be preliminarily arraigned before Blair County Magisterial District Judges Fred Miller and Andrew Blatenberger and will be prosecuted by Blair County District Attorney Richard Consiglios Office. In another recorded phone call, Walter talks about how it is his fault that all the kids in the area are on meth and that it is probably his fault. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Two men are in custody, and efforts are underway to locate a third. Delacruz and Wilt are slated to appear at Central Court for preliminary hearings on July 22. Friday, January 20th 2017. Among those arrested was . Drug Bust. Altoona police seized about $170,000 in suspected heroin earlier this week during an investigation into drug trafficking between Pittsburgh and Altoona, said Sgt. BLAIR COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) - A Roaring Spring man was sentenced Tuesday to serve multiple decades in prison after he pleaded guilty to trafficking a large amount of meth into Blair County in 2021 . I would note that practically all of the dealers arrested today are street-level dealers. Mercy Hospital established a new credit union with Samuel Raneri as president and BELLWOOD Aquatic design architect Edwin Wallover has been conducting community meetings for pool projects since From Mirror staff reports Citizens are reminded to report suspicious activity. Nearly half the arrests made today were for people selling Suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid addition and prevent painful withdrawal symptoms. Secora is facing suspected charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of THC (2nd+ offense), possession of drug paraphernalia, and obstructing an officer. "Thus, the Suboxone traffic goes hand in hand with opioid addiction in this area and around the state and the county," said Shapiro. If you see something, say something.. My Office has been focused on keeping drug dealers out of communities in the Altoona region since I was sworn in as Attorney General, Attorney General Shapiro said. 16th Floor, Strawberry Square A forensic extraction of Eckerts phone found two phone numbers for C in her phone. / CBS Pittsburgh. One at a home on Beale Avenue and another on. Buffalo firefighter dies battling downtown blaze, Hope offered after businesses damaged in Bedford, Search warrant in Idaho college killings unsealed, Your gas bill could be lower in Pennsylvania, New OR bill would give $1K a month to homeless people, Hunter who killed pet dogs believed they were coyotes, These four House Republicans broke with the GOP to, DuBois school district receives $100,000 for safety, Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces hes, N. 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Walter currently has a monetary bail value set for $500,000 and Eckert has one set for $300,000. Three people were taken into custody after police seized drugs, paraphernalia and firearms from a Cambria County residence, a police report stated. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Although most, if not all, of the narcotics suppliers normally come from out of town, these local dealers are a major component in the narcotics network that spreads this poison throughout the county.. And over $1,900 in cash. She responded by saying that Walter was arrested by probation as a cover-up for the drug shipment that police intercepted. 717-787-8242 Four people taken into custody after Altoona drug bust, Colfax man accused of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, Missing endangered person alert issued for man missing from Sheldon, Authorities identify person dead after single-vehicle rollover crash in Polk County, UWEC Class Taking a Look at Dog Cognition. Beyond the 17 arrested as a result of the grand jury, additional investigation led to the arrest of 15 more people who are alleged to have been connected to the larger drug organization. 90 Lulay Street, Suite 1 Wilt was free on bail and awaiting trial on felony charges stemming from a search of an apartment in December, where police allegedly found more than an ounce of heroin. The Altoona Police Department says community members first alerted them to possible drug activities taking place in the 700 block of Harriet Street earlier this summer. Fifteen people have been arrested for allegedly operating a violent drug trafficking organization that was responsible for $20 million in drug sales in Berks County over a year's time. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement made a series of approximately 80 controlled purchases utilizing undercover officers/agents. The 153 grams of heroin equals about 5.5 ounces. In confiscations conducted over one week in October 2019 alone, the West Drug Task Force seized approximately 12,000 doses of meth totaling over $300,000. Do you receive unwanted calls? Police say the street value of the drugs seized exceeds $250,000, making this case one of the largest meth busts in Blair County history. The Altoona Police Department along with the Blair County Drug Task Force and the PA Office of the Attorney General performed a detail in the city and in Logan Township. Please enter valid email address to continue. On August 26, police say Walters vehicle was stopped along Woodbury Pike, in Taylor Township, were he was taken into custody for a parole violation. This is a big win for keeping drugs out of the Altoona area, Plummer said Friday afternoon. It is important that these individuals be targeted. District. Matt Plummer, an Altoona Police Department spokesperson. On Aug. 26 police along with the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General received info that both Eckert and Walter were transporting a large amount of meth from Allentown, Pa to Altoona to be distributed, according to Altoona Police Departments Facebook post. Helped lead an ongoing national investigation by 41 Attorneys General of the pharmaceutical industry for their role in fueling the opioid crisis in our country. 72 Drug Dealers Arrested in Latest Blair County Roundup, Send Drug and Child Predator Anonymous Tips, Community Drug Abuse Prevention Grant Program, ACRE Agriculture, Communities and Rural Environment, Pennsylvania State Coroners Education Board, Voters Rights in Effect at the Polling Places on Election Days. Kenneth Miko, 32, Jacob Simmons 35, and Chris McDaniels, 37, all of Cresson, were detained Friday after a search warrant was executed on the 7900 block of Admiral Peary Highway, Cresson Township. Weeks noted that the suspected drugs seized would constitute a week or two worth of drugs to be sold on the streets. Eckert told him that it wasnt just his but both of theirs. Multiple cell phones, Police say that a traffic stop occurred at approximately 5:01 p.m. the same day at the 6400 block of Woodbury Pike in Taylor Township. Police say authorities then searched the vehicle and seized the following: Approximately 6 pounds of methamphetamine, 6:49 pm. Altoona police and state narcotics agents executed two search warrants at 6 a.m. Tuesday and seized $186,360 in cash, along with a large stash of suspected fentanyl and heroin, from the two homes, according to police. Active Scene on Birchwood Lane in Eau Claire Co. Tell us where we should look inside here. 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