A Gallitzin woman who authorities maintained was instrumental in a guns-for-drugs scheme in 2019 has lost her appeal, in which she contended the evidence presented in her trial was legally not sufficient to convict her on four counts of illegally possessing firearms.

Paula Anneeta Cross, 45, is presently serving a prison term of seven to 14 years imposed by Blair County President Judge Wade A. Kagarise after a jury found her guilty of the offenses during a trial in March 2023.

Cross had a record of past drug-related crimes that, under Pennsylvania law, barred her from possessing firearms.

But Altoona police were able to link her to three handguns and a shotgun that were found during a drug bust at a city motel.

During the bust, police confiscated three Ruger pistols and a Charles Daly Maxi shotgun from a motel room occupied by Michael Burchfield and his girlfriend.

The investigation revealed they received the weapons from a man known as Michael “Mountain Mike” Trosky in exchange for drugs.

The police query also found that the guns had originally been stolen from relatives of Cross.

One of those relatives, who was deceased, was a gun collector whose weapons were stored at his then-vacant home.

The shotgun was owned by another Cross relative.

Burchfield’s girlfriend testified during the Cross trial that during the guns-for-drug exchanges in the motel room, Cross admitted the weapons had come from the homes of her relatives.

Cross, through State College attorney Scott N. Pletcher, appealed her conviction and sentence to the Superior Court.

Her one issue was whether the evidence of “persons not to possess firearms” was sufficient to sustain her convictions.

In reviewing the case, a Superior Court panel that included Judges Alice B. Dubow, Carolyn H. Nichols and Correale F. Stevens extensively reviewed the testimony in which, it was noted, Altoona police received a report that several firearms had been stolen from a vacant home of her deceased relative.

During the ensuing drug bust, which occurred on Aug. 28, 2019, it was discovered that three pistols found in the motel room were from the vacant home.

Burchfield, who was arrested during the drug raid, pointed the finger at Trosky, Cross’ former fiance, stating he “came to (Burchfield’s) motel room six or seven times to exchange guns for drugs.”

Burchfield’s girlfriend said Cross told her during one of those meetings she had stolen one of her brother’s shotguns, which was found by police during the drug bust.

Trosky testified during the Cross trial that it was he and Cross who “raided” the home of the deceased relative and that “they had taken firearms therefrom to sell or alternately trade them for drugs,” the Superior Court stated in its opinion issued earlier this week.

“Here, we find that the (prosecution) adduced sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that (Cross) was in possession of all four firearms at issue.”

While Cross labeled Trosky’s testimony “highly suspect,” the appeals court panel stated, “we are nonetheless satisfied that this evidence is sufficient to prove that (Cross) was in actual possession of the shotgun in question.”

And the opinion concluded with respect to the three pistols that Cross “was in joint constructive possession of the pistols.”

After Cross’ sentencing, Blair County District Attorney Pete Weeks indicated that Cross deserved a stiffer sentence because her role “put guns in the hands of gang members.”

A city police officer said during sentencing that guns stolen from Cross’ relatives later resurfaced during police investigations in Cambria County and New Jersey.

Burchfield, 50, was sentenced to a term of 4.5 to 10 years, to be followed by five years’ probation.

He’s serving his time at SCI Smithfield in Huntingdon County.

Trosky was sentenced to a term in prison of five to 15 years. He is presently on parole.

Cross is serving her time in the State Correctional Institution in Cambridge Springs.