Four people arrested and charged in Westmoreland County drug and gun trafficking ring
According to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office, the four co-conspirators are accused of selling guns, heroin, and fentanyl to an undercover officer over a timeline of months.
"Fentanyl continues to fuel the opioid crisis in the Commonwealth and nationwide, and dealers use firearms to protect their lucrative trade," Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said. "The collaboration between law enforcement partners, like the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force in this case, removed thousands of doses of fentanyl and several high-caliber weapons from the Westmoreland community."
Three of the suspects, 34-year-old David Jefferies, 33-year-old James Womack, and 34-year-old Shelton Payne, are all charged with illegal possession of a firearm and drug trafficking. The trio also all have prior felony convictions, which prohibit them from owning guns.
Also charged is 41-year-old Andre Ellis-Barnes of Wilkinsburg with allegedly selling drugs to an undercover officer.
A search warrant was executed at the home of Jefferies, and officers found a handgun, approximately 382 grams of fentanyl, and black tar heroin.
The investigation was carried out in a joint effort between the Office of the Attorney General, Westmoreland County Drug Task Force, North Huntingdon, Monessen, Rostraver, New Kensington, and Irwin police departments.
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