Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Charges against a man accused of threatening a confidential informant with the McKean County Drug Task Force have been bound to court following a preliminary hearing. 27-year-old Alex Ita of Bradford is accused of telling the person there would be consequences if he showed up in court to testify against him. He also allegedly told a female associate of the informant that he knew the person “ratted him out.” In the drug case, Ita is accused of selling 3.5 grams of cocaine and setting up the deal by way of cell phone. He’s scheduled to appear in court next week for that case. He’s in jail without bail on the intimidation charge. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two men have been sentenced for growing marijuana on the Allegheny National Forest. 59-year-old William Kamholz of Frewsburg was sentenced in federal court to time served, and was fined $2,000. 62-year-old James Leach of Randolph was sentenced to one day in jail and nine months of home detention. He was fined $3,000. The McKean County Drug Task Force arrested Kamholtz in September of 2012 after stopping his vehicle and finding duffel bags containing marijuana he had harvested from the forest. In October of 2012, Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s deputies and the US Forest Service searched Leach’s home and found a drying room with about 23 pounds of marijuana in it. According to information presented to the court, Kamholtz and Leach conspired to manufacture and possessed with intent to distribute marijuana plants. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford man accused of selling powder cocaine to an informant with the McKean County Drug Task Force is in jail after being arraigned this morning by District Judge Dominic Cercone. 27-year-old Alex Ita sold the cocaine to the informant at just after 8 p.m. on May 13 at the Best Western in Bradford. He used a cell phone to set up the meeting, which along with the selling of the cocaine, is a felony. Ita’s bail is set at $20,000. He’s scheduled to appear in McKean County Central Court on July 10. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Bradford woman accused of selling 720 painkillers to an informant with the McKean County Drug Task Force has waived her preliminary hearing in Central Court. 53-year-old Kim Giordano is accused of selling the pills for $6,000 in a parking lot at the intersection of Route 346 and Stickney Trail. She’s charged with felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford man accused of selling prescription painkillers to an informant with the McKean County Drug Task Force has waived his preliminary hearing. 52-year-old Daniel Kloss tried to sell 292 pills for $1,550, according to court papers. He’s charged with felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and is free on bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Drug charges against an Olean man accused of selling cocaine in Bradford have been bound to court, while a Bradford woman facing similar charges waived her hearings. 32-year-old Brandon Warmley is accused of selling cocaine to an informant for the McKean County Drug Task Force in a parking lot off West Corydon Street on April 9 of last year. He’s free on bail. 27-year-old Dawn Buterbaugh is accused of selling cocaine to an informant on April 22 at a Pearl Street house and on April 24 of last year at the Hotel Holley. She is also charged for arranging the deals using text messages and voice mail. She’s in the State Correctional Institution at Muncy on unrelated charges. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Bradford woman is in jail for selling 720 painkillers to an informant with the McKean County Drug Task Force. 53-year-old Kim Giordano is accused of selling the pills for $6,000 in a parking lot at the intersection of Route 346 and Stickney Trail. She was sent to the McKean County Jail on $150,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

One of the men charged in the New Year’s Eve sweep by the McKean County Drug Task Force is facing another drug charge. 35-year-old Justin Jones was arraigned Tuesday afternoon for having 13 Percocet pills he didn’t have a prescription for back on December 17. Police found the pills in a cigarette pack during a traffic stop for an expired registration after Jones consented to a search. In the drug task force case, Jones is accused of selling Suboxone from his Hedgehog Lane home. On the new charge, he’s jailed on $10,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

One more of the people charged in the New Year’s Eve sweep by the McKean County Drug Task Force has waived his preliminary hearing. 33-year-old Edward Hull of Smethport is accused of selling prescription morphine pills. He charged with felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility and conspiracy. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

One more person picked up in the New Year’s Eve sweep by the McKean County Drug Task Force has waived his preliminary hearing. 34-year-old Franklin Howard of Bradford is charged with delivery and possession of a controlled substance in connection to an incident on November 5. He’s free on bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Several people waived hearings on drug charges today in district court. Matthew Howard is accused of selling cocaine to a confidential informant of the McKean County Drug Task Force on two occasions in Bradford. Kelly Hess is accused of selling marijuana to an informant on two occasions on South Center Street. Justin Jones is accused of selling Suboxone to a confidential informant from his Hedgehog Lane home. Charges against Kevin Armstrong were bound to court following a hearing in front of District Judge Dominic Cercone. Armstrong is also accused of selling cocaine to a confidential informant on two occasions. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

One of the people picked up in the New Year’s Eve sweep by the McKean County Drug Task Force has waived her preliminary hearing. 31-year-old Jessie Star Jones is accused, along with husband, of selling Suboxone to a confidential informant of the task force. Court records say the deal had been arranged by text message and took place at their Hedgehog Lane home. Preliminary hearings for 35-year-old Justin Jones are scheduled for February 26. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

One of the people picked up in the New Year’s Eve drug sweep in McKean County has waived his preliminary hearings in two cases. 20-year-old Travis Smithmyer Port Allegany is accused of selling five baggies of the drug known as Molly on September 22 and six grams of marijuana on September 23. He’s free on bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two more people have been arraigned on drug charges following the New Year’s Eve sweep by the McKean County Drug Task Force. 35-year-old Justin Jones and 31-year-old Jessie Starr Jones are accused of selling Suboxone to a confidential informant of the task force. According to court records, the deal had been arranged by text message and took place at their Hedgehog Lane home. The husband and wife are charged with felony counts of delivery of a controlled substance, criminal use a communication facility and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, as well as a misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two more suspects have been arraigned in connection to the New Year’s Eve drug sweep in McKean County. 39-year-old Kathy Harvey of Bradford and 33-year-old Edward Hull of Smethport are both charged with felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility and conspiracy. They are both free on bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

After agents in a helicopter found marijuana growing operation a Ludlow man found himself facing 47 charges. Police say Customs and Border Protection agents in the helicopter discovered the operation on August 10 in Hamilton Township. They contacted members of the McKean County Drug Task Force, who arrested 47-year-old Todd Haight for having 23 marijuana plants and a jar containing harvested marijuana. Haight is free on $10,000 bail. Image from Google Earth © The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

UPDATE: A warrant has been issued for the arrest of 42-year-old Michael Byerly. He is 6 feet tall and weighs 250 pounds. A Bradford woman who told police she turned to drug dealing to make ends meet is now in McKean County Jail. 40-year-old Susan Byerly was arrested Tuesday after city police and the McKean County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at her Burnside Avenue home and found multiple bags of cocaine and bags of marijuana packaged for sale. They also found a number of pistols and long guns as well as an AK-47 style assault rifle with multiple magazines and “many” rounds of ammunition, according to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office. They also found drug paraphernalia, cash and electronics. Bylerly told police she and her husband have been unemployed for some time, and she turned to drug dealing for supplemental income. She is jailed on $50,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in Central Court on March 7. The news leader of the Twin Tier...

Three Bradford residents are facing charges of trafficking marijuana following an investigation by the McKean County Drug Task Force. Tina Dilley, Glenn Crum and Dustin Bolyard were arrested after the task force executed a search warrant at their Leland Avenue home last Monday. City police say the search warrant uncovered marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Several Bradford residents were arraigned today for allegedly selling a variety of drugs. 38-year-old Timothy Kloss allegedly sold 30.7 grams of marijuana to a confidential informant on one occasion in May, and 28.1 grams in another incident a couple of days later, according to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone's office. 38-year-old Anita Hubbart is accused of selling fake Ecstasy and cocaine to a confidential informant with the McKean County Drug Task Force back in April, and of selling 34 dihydrocodeine pills to a confidential informant in September of 2011. 51-year-old Daniel Skaggs is accused of selling Dilaudid pills to an informant in July and August on Pike and West Washington streets. 40-year-old Randy Lee Gourley is accused of delivering seven methadone pills to an informant in September at the Hotel Holley. 31-year-old Amber McKinney allegedly sold Ritalin pills in August at a Bank Street home. 30-year-old Steven Devitt allegedly delivered marijuana to a...

The woman accused of operating a meth lab in Port Allegany was scheduled to be in court this morning, but her hearing has been moved to next week. 23-year-old Sara Jones is facing seven felony counts related to manufacturing methamphetamine, as well as risking a catastrophe. The state police clandestine lab response team, along with detectives from the McKean County DA’s office and McKean County Drug Task Force raided the lab on the evening of March 14. Jones is jailed on $200,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947