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Drug suspect in custody

A suspect wanted in January’s countywide drug sweep is now in custody.

John J. Burns, 20, of Altoona was arraigned Friday by video conference from a facility in Delaware County after being picked up on a parole violation there, according to Altoona police.

Burns was charged in January with felony and misdemeanor drug charges as part of the Jan. 20 Blair County Drug Task Force drug sweep that targeted 37 people.

According to charges filed by Altoona police, Burns sold heroin to a police informant on Feb. 13, 2016, in the area of 12th Street and Sixth Avenue Alley. Burns’ girlfriend at the time, Amber McBride, 22, allegedly helped set up the deal and was driving when the informant was picked up to make the deal.

The informant allegedly gave Burns, who was in the front seat, $125, and a man sitting in the back seat handed over 10 packets of heroin. McBride, who was arrested in August on felony and misdemeanor drug charges related to a heroin sale on Jan. 16, 2016, told police in December that Burns was a heroin user and the man in the back seat was Jamyle Snead, 38, of Altoona, and was one of his sources.

Snead was picked up by the pair after McBride made arrangements to meet the informant on Feb. 13, she told police. Snead allegedly gave McBride $50 for gas money for the deal.

Snead was arrested in January and awaits trial on felony conspiracy and drug-related charges and remains in Blair County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail. McBride is also awaiting the outcome of her felony drug case in jail in Blair County.

Burns will be transported back to Blair County where he will be jailed unless he can post his $20,000 cash bail. Burns is charged with felony conspiracy and delivery of heroin, criminal use of a communication facility and a misdemeanor count of possession of heroin. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 28 before Magisterial District Judge Fred Miller in Tyrone District Court.

Mirror Staff Writer Greg Bock is at 946-7458.

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