Warren County is one of five northern Pennsylvania counties affected by a massive drug trafficking investigation that resulted in charges against seven people accused of spreading methamphetamine and fentanyl throughout the region.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the arrests, which included both mid-level and street-level dealers from Cameron, Elk, McKean, Potter, and Warren counties.
The investigation discovered that Benjamin Simms, 31, of Coudersport, worked as a mid-level dealer, trafficking 30 to 40 pounds of methamphetamine from New York over the course of a year.
Six other suspects, including Kyle P. Brown of Emporium and others from Ridgeway, Saint Marys, and Johnsonburg, allegedly worked independently as street sellers.
All seven are facing felony accusations, including possession with intent to deliver, conspiracy, and related offenses.
Simms is currently detained at SCI-Forest, and Brown is being held in McKean County Prison on a $50,000 bond.
Attorney General Sunday underscored the operation’s relevance for rural towns such as Warren, saying, “These traffickers poured poisons into rural Pennsylvania communities. My objective to combat drug traffickers covers the Commonwealth, and I applaud our allies for their collaboration, which will have a significant impact in this region.”
The investigation was led by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s North Central Drug Task Force, with assistance from local law enforcement agencies in the affected counties, including Warren.
Every defendant is deemed innocent until proven guilty in court.