More 'Operation Cave-In' Arrests

Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that agents from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation have filed criminal charges against nine suspects in connection with an ongoing “Operation Cave-In” investigation into the operation of illegal methamphetamine labs, “pill shopping” and weapons trafficking across northwestern Pennsylvania.

Corbett said these latest arrests were based on additional information developed following the September 2008 arrest of 23 Venango and Mercer County residents who were allegedly linked to a $1 million underground meth lab allegedly operated by 62-year old Rockne K. “Rocky” Barber Sr., of Stoneboro.

“Just like the man-made cave that was used to hide a lab near Barber’s home, this drug organization burrowed its way into communities and families across the region – fueling an active business that traded pills, cash and even weapons for methamphetamine,” Corbett said. “Armed with an arsenal of weapons, including an automatic submachine gun hidden in the underground lab, these drug dealers clearly intended to protect their illegal business and keep their supply of meth flowing throughout Venango, Mercer and surrounding counties.”

Corbett explained that identifying and locating clandestine meth labs has been the focus of intensive efforts by local law enforcement, State Police, District Attorney’s and agents and prosecutors from the Attorney General’s Office. Since 2005, investigations by the Northwestern Pennsylvania Meth Task Force have resulted in the seizure of 62 labs located in Crawford, Erie, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties.

“We are united in our efforts to attack this problem and shut down the meth trade in this region,” Corbett said. “The number of operating labs identified in the region has been steadily dropping since 2005, but as we have seen with this case and with other recent meth investigations, the labs that remain are growing in dollar-value and size, and meth producers are getting more creative in their efforts to hide from law enforcement.”

Corbett said that among the suspects charged today is David Earl Warner, of Titusville, who allegedly agreed to teach “Rocky” Barber how to produce methamphetamine, in exchange for $20,000 in cash and drugs. Prior to that 2004 agreement, Warner allegedly supplied Barber with meth from his own lab.

According to an investigating grand jury, Barber used the information and skills provided by Warner to begin his own meth lab operation, which eventually grew to include a fully operational lab located in a man-made cave that had been carved into a hillside at the rear of Barber’s home. Between 2004 and 2008, Barber and his associates allegedly produced and distributed an estimated $1 million worth of methamphetamine.

Corbett said that agents from the Attorney General’s Office and officers from the Northwestern PA Meth Task Force seized that lab during an April 24th, 2008 search of Barber’s property. Agents also seized a stockpile of 64 weapons, including a fully-automatic machine gun, $20,000 in cash, approximately $15,000 worth of meth oil (the final production step before finished meth); an assortment of meth-related chemicals and supplies and various drug packaging materials.

According to the grand jury, many of the weapons that were seized from Barber’s home were provided by Michael Dale Lewis, of Titusville. Lewis allegedly sold weapons to Barber for cash, including automatic weapons and handguns, and also allegedly traded cold medicine and other meth ingredients for the finished drug.

Corbett said other weapons seized from Barber’s home were allegedly obtained by “straw buyers” – individuals who purchase weapons and then quickly sell or transfer them to someone else. Straw buyers are often used to conceal the identity of the actual buyer of the weapons, especially in situations involving people who are legally prevented from purchasing firearms.

The investigation into the straw purchase of firearms is continuing.

Corbett said that two other suspects charged today, Jerry Donald Phillips and Martin Eugene Scriven, both from Polk, allegedly assisted Barber by coordinating “pill shopping” at various drug stores and pharmacies throughout the region. Phillips and Scriven are accused of helping to orchestrate the purchase of cold medicine and other necessary ingredients, using numerous other people to visit stores across a wide area in an effort to avoid raising the suspicion of law enforcement.

According to the grand jury, five Franklin residents are accused of acting as “pill shoppers,” purchasing pseudoephedrine pills in return for drugs and cash. Alleged pill shoppers include Christina Joan Hoover; Gregory and Ashley Leige; Karen Lynn Willis (Ashley Leige’s mother) and Penny Sue Andrews (Ashley Leige’s mother-in-law).

Corbett noted that pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient for the type of meth that Barber was producing, became more difficult to obtain starting in 2006 because of a federal law (Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act) requiring those drugs to be placed behind the counter at stores. The law also limits the daily amount of pseudoephedrine that could be purchased, making it more difficult for meth producers to obtain the larger quantity of pills necessary to operate a lab.

According to the grand jury, the federal restrictions prompted Barber to institute a policy of “no pills, no meth,” refusing to supply meth to anyone unless they brought him several packages of pseudoephedrine in addition to cash.


The criminal charges were filed today before Emlenton Magisterial District Judge Douglas Gerwick.

The defendants will be prosecuted in Venango County by Senior Deputy Attorney General Douglas J. Wright of the Attorney General’s Drug Strike Force Section.

Corbett noted that this is an ongoing investigation.

Corbett thanked Venango County District Attorney Marie T. Veon and Mercer County District Attorney Richard G. Kochems for their cooperation and assistance with this continuing investigation.

Corbett also thanked the police departments from Cambridge Springs, Edinboro, Franklin, Girard, Meadville, North East, Oil City, Polk and Titusville, along with Pennsylvania State Police from Mercer and Venango counties, for their cooperation and assistance.

The following is a list of suspects and the charges filed against them:

David Earl Warner, 48, 512 West Walnut St., Titusville, is charged with criminal conspiracy to violate the Drug Act, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Michael Dale Lewis, 37, 512 West Walnut St., Titusville, is charged with criminal conspiracy to violate the Drug Act, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Jerry Donald Phillips, 37, 2317 Jackson Center, Polk, is charged with criminal conspiracy to violate the Drug Act, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine, along with violating the Meth Precursors and Chemicals Act, a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Martin Eugene Scriven, 35, 4159 Georgetown Road, Polk, is charged with criminal conspiracy to violate the Drug Act, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine, along with violating the Meth Precursors and Chemicals Act, a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Christina Joan Hoover, 27, 1108 Old Mercer Road, Franklin, is charged with criminal conspiracy to violate the Drug Act, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine, along with violating the Meth Precursors and Chemicals Act, a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Gregory Allen Leige, 30, 1105 Old Mercer Road, Franklin, is charged with criminal conspiracy to violate the Drug Act, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine, along with violating the Meth Precursors and Chemicals Act, a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Ashley Marie Leige, 21, 1105 Old Mercer Road, Franklin, is charged with criminal conspiracy to violate the Drug Act, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine, along with violating the Meth Precursors and Chemicals Act, a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Penny Sue Andrews, 50, 126 Sleepy Hollow Lane, Franklin, is charged with criminal conspiracy to violate the Drug Act, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine, along with violating the Meth Precursors and Chemicals Act, a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Karen Lynn Willis, 40, 747 Mercer Road, Franklin, is charged with criminal conspiracy to violate the Drug Act, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine, along with violating the Meth Precursors and Chemicals Act, a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

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