HOLLIDAYSBURG — Trial dates have not been set in Blair County Court for five Altoona men accused of local human trafficking because two of the accused are still raising legal challenges and a third needs a new court-appointed attorney.

Judge Wade A. Kagarise convened status conferences Friday for four of the five men — Donald “The Rev” Dargan, Sean Atkins, Derrick McNeal and Quincy Wilson — who are accused of forcing women with drug addictions to engage in sexual activities and prostitution in 2020 and 2021.

A fifth defendant, Tony D. Ross, wasn’t scheduled for court because of lack of legal representation. Ross was last represented by Hollidaysburg attorney Michael B. Cohen, but for undisclosed reasons, Cohen agreed in March to a voluntary disbarment that became effective on April 7.

Altoona police charged the five men in January 2022 with human trafficking, involuntary servitude, rape and related sexual offenses when disclosing the results of an investigation into sexual assaults they found to be connected. They also linked the assaults to the January 2021 overdose death of 38-year-old Colleen Buck, whose body was found in Dargan’s third-floor apartment on the 800 block of Sixth Avenue.

During a preliminary hearing in April 2022, the victims spoke of being forced to engage in sex or being assaulted while they were under the influence of drugs.

In reviewing Dargan’s pending cases, Kagarise referenced additional drug-trafficking charges Altoona police filed in October 2022, accusing Dargan and Wilson of heroin and methamphetamine sales to confidential informants.

After District Attorney Pete Weeks spoke of consolidating Dargan’s 2021 and 2022 cases, defense attorney Christopher Jancula told Kagarise that he would need 30 days to file a response to the motion for jointure.

Jancula also indicated Friday that he may have pretrial motions to file in addressing Dargan’s 2022 charges. If pretrial motions are filed, Kagarise said he would work on a schedule.

Kagarise also has the task of addressing previous challenges by Dargan, Atkins, McNeal and Ross who claim the evidence against them is insufficient and that police failed to meet the requirements for a search warrant used to collect evidence against them. Weeks and First Assistant District Attorney Nichole Smith have already filed a memorandum asking Kagarise to deny the legal challenges.

Defense attorney A. Thomas Farrell, who represents McNeal, was slated Friday to require additional testimony to defend his client. But after consulting with Weeks and Smith, Farrell agreed that a portion of a transcript contained in an Altoona police report would be sufficient.

Farrell also said in court that wanted to present Kagarise with a legal brief on his client’s request to sever his case from the others. He also acknowledged that he is waiting for a transcript of an Oct. 28 court proceeding in the case.

Kagarise acknowledged the delay, but allocated

90 days for submissions.

Attorney Robert Donaldson, who represents Atkins, advised Kagarise that he has difficulty sharing some computerized evidence files with his client. Weeks said he was resending some files in an attempt to resolve that.

Otherwise, Donaldson said he is ready for trial and waiting for trial dates to be set.

Attorney Joseph Addink, who represents Wilson, said Friday that his client is withdrawing his pretrial motions but maintaining his right to go to trial. Kagarise asked Wilson if he had talked with Addink about that option and Wilson said yes.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.