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Pennsylvania law enforcement including agents from the Office of Attorney General Josh Shapiro, State Police and local police departments stopped a major trafficker of the opioid Oxycodone.

According to AG Shapiro, the agents arrested and filed charges against the ringleader and members of the drug trafficking group.  The ringleader named David Bruce Darby of Chambersburg is facing multiple charges including drug delivery resulting in death, violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity. He was also charged with corrupt organizations; criminal conspiracy; drug delivery resulting in death; criminal use of a communications facility and persons not to possess a firearm.

Oxycodone is a Schedule II controlled substance. It is one of the most misused prescription painkillers or opioids in the United States. In 2018, around 10.3 million people misused prescription opioids including Oxycodone across the nation. More than 130 people died every day from opioid-related drug overdose, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Authorities eliminated the “cancer from south central Pennsylvania

Darby allegedly smuggled Oxycodone from New York City and distributed the drug to people in Franklin and Cumberland counties in Pennsylvania. In August 2019, his delivery of the drug to Katya Bertone of Chambersburg led to her death.

In a statement, AG Shapiro said, “This defendant and his drug trafficking ring are responsible for the death of a young woman and the spread of an opioid epidemic we are fighting every day to stop.”

“The victim who overdosed had more than twice the intravenous therapeutic level of fentanyl in her blood. What’s more, this New York-to-Chambersburg pipeline flushed 6,000 pills and cocaine into the Franklin County area. Today, we have removed this cancer from south central Pennsylvania,” he added.

Other defendants

Pennsylvania and New York law enforcement authorities arrested and charged 11 others who are members of the defendant’s drug trafficking ring. They are:

• Sarah Catherine Turesky—charged with dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity; corrupt organizations; violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act and criminal use of a communication facility.
• Delisha Keyon Redden—charged with violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act; corrupt organizations; drug delivery resulting in death, criminal conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility.
• Cedric Stephens—charged with violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and corrupt organizations.
• Natasha Gomez— charged with violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and corrupt organizations.
• Jonathan Butler— charged with violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and corrupt organizations.
• Karen Marie Sloane— charged with violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and corrupt organizations.
• Alycia Logsdon— charged with violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act; corrupt organizations, criminal conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility.
• Stacey Spoonhour— charged with violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act; corrupt organizations, criminal conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility.
• David Hemphill— charged with violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act; corrupt organizations, criminal conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility.
• Michael Campoli— charged with corrupt organizations; criminal conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility.
• Malik Bonds— charged with violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act; corrupt organizations, criminal conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility.