With oxygen tanks in tow behind more than one person, the need for AMED to transport one wheelchair-bound suspect and an alleged prescription pill dealer using a walker, Tuesday's round-up of suspected street-level drug dealers looked at times like a doctor's office waiting room.
The Blair County Drug Task Force went after 37 suspected dealers with nearly 30 in custody by Tuesday evening, police said.
Cocaine, heroin and marijuana were represented in the bust, but many of the suspects are accused of peddling prescription painkillers, often drugs prescribed to them and paid for by taxpayers, police said.
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Mirror photo by Greg Bock
Patrick Brister, 52, of Altoona was charged with delivery and possession of Fentanyl.
"I'm not a trouble maker. I made a bad decision," Richard Hollabaugh Jr., 33, of 628 S. Logan Blvd. said during his arraignment on five cases alleging he sold oxycodone hydrochloride painkillers to a police informant between July and September.
Police said Hollabaugh got the pills from his aunt, Helen R. Bradley, 51, of 911 Green Ave. Apt. 201. Bradley used a walker and oxygen as she surrendered.
Hollabaugh allegedly sold the 20 mg pain pills for $15 each, according to court records. Police said he would set up the sales, collect the money and then visit his aunt to get the pills.
Fact Box
The suspects
Robert Campbell, 45, 713 First Ave., Altoona: two counts each of conspiracy, delivery of oxycodone/hydrocodone, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Tyler Welsh, 29, 1732 Woodbury Pike, Loysburg: two counts each of conspiracy, delivery of OxyContin, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Kevin Oberman, 29, 1322 Ridge Road, New Enterprise: two counts each of conspiracy, delivery of OxyContin, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Earl Ling, 56, 1917 West Chestnut Ave., Altoona: two counts each of delivery of OxyContin, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Herbert Housel Jr., 54, 20 Frankstown Road, Hollidaysburg: three counts each of delivery of oxycodone/Endocet, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Richard Hollabaugh Jr., 33, 628 S. Logan Blvd., Altoona; five counts each of conspiracy, delivery of oxycodone, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Helen Bradley, 51, 911 Green Ave., Apt. 201, Altoona: five counts each of conspiracy, delivery of oxycodone, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Gregory Henderson, 31, 315 First Ave., Altoona: two counts each of delivery of heroin, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
William Frye, 49, 510 Weaver St., Altoona: two counts each of delivery of morphine, possession and criminal use of a communication facility and one count each of conspiracy and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Steven Frye, 50, 113 Weaver St., Altoona: one count each of conspiracy, delivery of morphine, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Dana Ewing, 30, 1204 Cameron Ave., Tyrone: one count each of delivery of suboxone, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Michael Blackie Jr., 27, 2021 Eighth Ave., Apt. 2, Altoona, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison: four counts each of delivery of marijuana, possession and criminal use of a communication facility and two counts each of persons not possess firearms and firearms not to be carried without a license.
Carol Black, 65, 406 Fourth Ave., Altoona: one count each of delivery of hydrocodone, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Albert Overman, 27, 1915 W. Chestnut Ave., third floor, Altoona: three counts each of conspiracy, delivery of heroin, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Levi Hollen, 21, 108 Sylvan Acres, Tyrone, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison: two counts each of conspiracy, delivery of heroin and possession.
Jesse Wicker, 33, 2621 W. Chestnut Ave., second floor, Altoona, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison: two counts each of conspiracy, delivery of heroin, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Jeremiah Morgan, 32, 23 Laughlin Circle, Altoona: two counts each of criminal use of a communication facility and theft and one count each of conspiracy, criminal attempt, delivery of heroin and possession.
Justin Loomis, 25, 400 Spruce Ave., Altoona, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison: two counts each of delivery of heroin, possession, criminal use of a communication facility and conspiracy.
Brittany Johnson, 22, 400 Spruce Ave., Altoona, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison: one count each of conspiracy, delivery of heroin, possession of heroin and criminal use of a communication facility.
Patrick Brister, 52, 2302 W. Chestnut Ave., first floor, Altoona: one count each of delivery of Fentanyl and one count of possession of Fentanyl.
Jay Dempsey, 37, 110 Fourth St., Altoona: four counts each of conspiracy, delivery of marijuana, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Ashley Decriscio, 24, 508 Second St., Altoona: one count each of conspiracy, delivery of OxyContin, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Michelle Dixon, 46, 2423 Broad Ave., side apartment, Altoona: three counts each of conspiracy, delivery of OxyContin/suboxone, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Wayne Houston, no age listed, 911 Green Ave., Apt. 216, Altoona: two counts each of conspiracy, delivery of OxyContin and possession.
Shawn Keirn, 28, 619 Crawford Ave., Altoona: one count each of conspiracy, delivery of suboxone and possession.
Scott Dixon, 38, 2423 Broad Ave., side apartment, Altoona: one count each of conspiracy, delivery of oxycodone and possession.
Arin Noonan, 23, 1000 S. Kettle St., Altoona: one count each of delivery of heroin, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Shawn Pepin, 21, 123 E. Maple Court, Altoona: one count each of delivery of suboxone, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Qasim Green, 18, 1536 2nd St., Altoona: one count each of conspiracy, delivery of crack cocaine, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Steven Carroll, 32, 1358 Washington Ave., Tyrone: one count each of delivery of clonazepam, possession of clonazepam and criminal use of a communication facility.
Teeha Rodgers, 30, 1915 W. Chestnut Ave., third floor, Altoona: three counts of conspiracy, delivery of heroin and possession of heroin and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
Ryan Miller, 24, 324 Maple Ave., Altoona: one count each of delivery of marijuana, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Andy Buros, 38, 407 Kettle St., Altoona, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison: one count each of conspiracy, delivery of heroin and possession.
Robert Collazo, 49, 1716 13th Ave., basement apartment, Altoona: one count each of delivery of ecstasy, possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
Stephen Payne, 22, 600 Bell Ave., Altoona: two counts each of conspiracy, delivery of heroin/fentanyl and possession.
William Caldwell, 41, 608 Fifth Ave., Altoona, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison: three counts each of delivery of heroin/cocaine, possession and criminal use of a communication facility and one count of conspiracy.
Michael Nichols, 30, 1019 Howard Ave., Altoona, currently incarcerated in the Blair County Prison: one count each of criminal attempt, criminal use of a communication facility, delivery of heroin and theft.
Source: Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office.
In August, Hollabaugh set up a deal around his aunt's bingo game, and a couple weeks later, Hollabaugh was late for one meeting with the informant in September because his aunt was playing bingo, police said.
James Walstrom, supervisory agent with the state Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, said the amount of prescription drug cases is keeping with recent trends.
"As we put pressure on the street drugs, it becomes easier to divert prescription drugs to the street than having to make trips to Pittsburgh to get it to bring back," Walstrom said.
Andy Burgos, a 38-year-old New York, N.Y. native and a Blair County resident, according to him, for two years, has been in custody and awaiting trial since an Oct. 6 search of his apartment after alleged heroin sales.
Burgos appeared before Magisterial District Judge Fred B. Miller, who with his staff juggled the arraignment of 16 suspects between the 19 cases already scheduled at his office for preliminary hearings.
Burgos told Miller that he came to Blair County from New York for "a change."
Miller pointed out to Burgos, a father of five children living in New York between the ages of 7 and 22, that he has a criminal history that included nine arrests for possession with intent to deliver drugs.
"Yes, sir," Burgos said, before Miller called Burgess a significant flight risk and threat to the community with no ties to the area that required a $100,000 cash bail.
Tuesday's drug cases are being handled by Miller and Magisterial District Judge Craig Ormsby, who like Miller arraigned suspects by video conference.
These street-level sweeps are more than just for show and numbers, citing success in the past at turning information learned through small-time dealers into larger cases, Walstrom said.
"Our arrests serve a purpose," Walstrom said.
Preliminary hearings are slated for Nov. 30 at Central Court.
Mirror Staff Writer Greg Bock is at 946-7458.
