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A city man accused of distributing methamphetamine from an Altoona apartment has been arrested following a multi-agency investigation that led to the seizure of drugs, cash and suspected drug-trafficking paraphernalia, according to the Altoona Police Department.
Darrell Lee Smith, 64, faces felony charges of criminal use of a communication facility, criminal conspiracy - possession with intent to deliver and possession with intent to deliver. He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio and remanded to the Blair County Prison in lieu of $30,000 bail.
The investigation was conducted by the Altoona Police Department's K-9 and Narcotics Unit in collaboration with the Tyrone Borough Police Department, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and the Pennsylvania State Police.
According to investigators, officers received information identifying an individual known as "Tank" as a suspected source of methamphetamine in Altoona. Investigators later identified the suspect as Smith and confirmed he lived at 1120 14th Ave., Apartment 7.
As part of the investigation, officers conducted a traffic stop involving a person connected to the case. Police deployed K-9 Blue to conduct an open-air sniff of the vehicle, and the dog alerted to the odor of illegal narcotics.
Officers received a search warrant for the vehicle and found about 2 grams of methamphetamine packaged in three small bags, along with $2,531 in cash.
Investigators determined the methamphetamine had been purchased from Smith at his residence shortly before the traffic stop.
Police also executed a search warrant at Smith's apartment, where they recovered a digital scale, packaging materials and drug paraphernalia.
Smith's preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 12 before DeAntonio.