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13 charged in alleged cocaine-trafficking ring linking Ohio to Butler County

Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Friday Oct. 16 charges against 13 individuals in connection with an alleged cocaine-trafficking ring that made hundreds of trips from Ohio to Western Pennsylvania over the past year.

According to Sunday, two alleged defendants are still being sought by law enforcement. The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Pennsylvania State Police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Butler City Police and the Butler County District Attorney’s Office.

The defendants face felony charges, including corrupt organizations and drug trafficking offenses. Authorities said efforts are ongoing to take all charged individuals into custody. The case also involved proceedings before a Statewide Investigative Grand Jury.

Investigators allege seven upper-level dealers from Youngstown, Ohio trafficked cocaine and crack cocaine to Butler County, distributing the drugs directly to buyers or through intermediaries who lived in Butler County.

They also allege the Butler County-based dealers were paid in cash or drugs.

“This criminal organization made routine — sometimes daily — trips into Pennsylvania to distribute poisons into our communities,” Sunday said. “Working with our partners, these arrests effectively shut down a major cocaine trafficking pipeline.”

Of the 13 individuals charged, 11 of them are in custody and two are still being sought by law enforcement.

Anthony Chilton, Marquel Winphrie, Reinaldo Rosado Lizardi, Eddie Winphrie and Jumal McQueen are five of the seven Ohio-based dealers charged, along with the two unnamed dealers who are still on the loose.

The five Ohio-based defendants in custody were arrested this week in Ohio.

Others charged include Jason White, Mylan Green, Daniel Morehead, Brittany Boring, Shaddi Shanaa and Donald Vargo. Police did not identify which state the additional suspects are from.

The cases will be prosecuted by the Office of Attorney General’s Drug Strike Force Section.

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