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Drug sweep nets 60 suspects in Blair, Cambria counties

By Matt Churella 4 min read

JOHNSTOWN -- Over the past week and a half, more than 60 alleged drug traffickers have been charged in Blair and Cambria counties as a result of Operation Summer Street Sweeper, according to state Attorney General Dave Sunday Jr.

A total of 21 people were charged in Cambria County and 44 people were charged in Blair through the operation, which went into effect July 23 and was the culmination of a monthslong investigation among local, state and federal law enforcement officials.

Of the 65 people charged, 50 alleged drug traffickers have been arrested, taken off the streets -- in neighborhoods primarily in and around the cities of Altoona and Johnstown -- and now face serious felony charges, Sunday said, noting officials will continue to pursue the others who've been charged.

"We cast the net and we took into custody 50 alleged drug traffickers and counting," Sunday said.

The investigation began in March when officials noticed an increase of crime in the Johnstown area, according to Sunday, who said the most notable cause for the increase was the migration of some drug dealers from the Philadelphia area.

When big city drug dealers move, they often bring with them all of the things that they had before, including violence, guns, drugs and crime, Sunday said.

"In response to that, we combined forces, we coordinated investigations and we went to work," Sunday said. "This is our latest success, and I can promise you this will not be our last."

Christopher Giordano, assistant special agent in charge at the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Pittsburgh, said Friday's press conference at the Frank J. Pasquerilla Conference Center in Johnstown was about much more than a successful warrant operation.

It represents what can be accomplished when agencies put aside jurisdiction, combine resources and work toward the common goal of keeping communities safe.

"This investigation is another reminder that no single agency can do this alone, but together, we are incredibly effective," Giordano said, adding violence, drug trafficking and organized criminal activity have no place in the region's communities.

"When criminals choose to prey upon our neighborhoods, they should know that they will be met by a unified law enforcement response," Giordano said.

Operation Summer Street Sweeper is also part of a much larger national effort, according to Giordano, who noted FBI Director Kash Patel launched Operation Summer Heat 2.0 in early June.

Across the country, more than 3,200 arrests and 1,200 indictments have been made, Giordano said, adding more than 1,700 drugs and 1,100 firearms have been seized.

Locally, the investigative work will continue, and the state will utilize all of its available resources to find and charge more criminals, said state Sen. Wayne Langerholc Jr., R-Cambria.

"To those that may still choose to continue to peddle this poison, engage in nefarious activity or engage in violent crime, the message is quite simple: you will be brought to justice," Langerholc said.

Blair County District Attorney Pete Weeks and Cambria County District Attorney Jessica Aurandt commended law enforcement entities and agencies who helped in the investigation. Among those represented at the press conference were Altoona Police Chief Derek Swope, Tyrone Borough Police Chief Jessica Walk, Richland Township Police Chief Rick Pollino and Johnstown Police Department Captain Daniel Price. Other law enforcement partners -- the Pennsylvania State Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives -- were represented.

"The hard work of the officers made the arrests possible," Weeks said.

Aurandt said the collaborative efforts are important because there's a human cost to the drug crisis. Entire neighborhoods in the Johnstown community have been affected by drug-related violence, particularly within the past few months, she said.

"There are so many individuals in our community enslaved to addiction, doing unimaginable things and living every minute of their lives simply to get the next fix," Aurandt said.

Those who exploit addiction for financial gain are "ravaging our communities," and everyone is impacted, she said.

Cambria County is "incredibly blessed" by its drug task force and law enforcement members, who provide service, professionalism and countless sacrifices, Aurandt said.

"This is important work and it's not going to stop," she said.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.

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