The 17-person drug ring broken up by a Pennsylvania State Police and FBI investigation was supplied with cocaine through at least one of the four Warren men indicted last week, recently unsealed court records indicate.
An FBI affidavit unsealed last week states the FBI conducted surveillance on a Washington, Pa., man and tracked him to Warren. Pennsylvania police followed him back into the state and apprehended him with more than $35,000 worth of cocaine in his car, the records state.
The investigation culminated in an indictment charging 17 people, including four from Warren and 13 from Pennsylvania, with drug trafficking conspiracy. The FBI and Pennsylvania State Police's SWAT teams raided the 1766 Arthur Drive N.W. home of Kashma Jordan on June 28.
The FBI affidavit, written by Special Agent Michael C. Evans, said authorities were tipped on March 25 that Juan Worthey Jr., 37, of Washington, Pa., was driving to a Warren residence to buy 3 kilograms of cocaine worth about $35,000 each. The supplier, records said, is known as "B."
Agents conducting surveillance on Worthey reported he left his home with an unknown female at 4 p.m. They drove a gold Dodge Neon to Warren and surveillance officers confirmed they arrived in the city after a nine-hour trip.
The affidavit said the two left Warren early the next day and Pennsylvania State Police pulled over Worthey's car for a traffic violation at about 2 a.m. A canine officer detected drugs near the driver's side window. Investigators obtained a search warrant from U.S. Western District of Pennsylvania Magistrate Cynthia Eddy and found 1.2 kilos of cocaine in the trunk.
Worthey then admitted to investigators that he met with "B" in Warren and that he was the cocaine source. He also told investigators he knows where "B" gets his cocaine and that others in Washington were waiting for him to return with the drugs.
About two weeks later, Worthey and the 16 others were indicted. The case was unsealed Monday. Some of the defendants are facing up to 100 years in prison on the charges.
Jordan, who pleaded not guilty last week in front of Eddy in Pittsburgh and was detained until the outcome of the case, is facing between 10 and 50 years in prison on the conspiracy charge and another charge that alleges he tried to sell more than 500 grams of cocaine.
The other three Warren men - Robert Harvey, 38, of 2692 Brier St. S.E., Mario Rodgers, 39, 527 Washington St. N.E., and Allan Williams, 37, of 4475 Berkshire Dr. S.E. - are all facing 10 years in prison on the conspiracy charge.
Harvey has not yet made an initial appearance in court. Rodgers pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and ordered detained. Williams entered an appearance waiver and pleaded not guilty through an attorney at his arraignment last week.
About 10 agents with assault rifles entered Jordan's home nearly two weeks ago.
Neighbors said they suspected drug activity was taking place at the home for some time. One neighbor said Jordan also kept two pit bulls in his backyard.