Pubdate: Sat, 20 Apr 2002
Source: Tribune Review (PA)
Copyright: 2002 Tribune-Review Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://triblive.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/460
Author: Chris Osher

ATTORNEY GENERAL HAILS DRUG BUST

U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft said Friday that law enforcement 
officials had penetrated the largest heroin and cocaine trafficking ring 
ever to operate in western Pennsylvania.

Ashcroft hailed Operation Family Store, a joint investigation responsible 
for the indictments of 11 people, as a model of the type of cooperative 
ventures needed to root out crime.

Ashcroft made the announcement in Pittsburgh after meeting with local 
anti-terrorism task force officials. He said Allegheny County had 129 
heroin-related deaths in 2001, an 88 percent increase over the previous year.

Greg Drews, a local Drug Enforcement Administration agent, said the ring 
was responsible for the shipment of cocaine and heroin from Newark, N.J., 
to Pittsburgh and was the largest supplier in the Pittsburgh area.

"We're cutting it off at the top rung of the ladder," Drews said.

The lead investigative agencies were the DEA, Pittsburgh police and the FBI.

Indicted Tuesday were nine area residents, and two men from New York and 
New Jersey.

U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan said more than 100 local, state and 
federal law enforcement officials assisted in the arrest of the suspects on 
Thursday.

In the course of the investigation, authorities arranged the traffic stop 
of a drug courier who was transporting more than 2.6 kilograms of heroin 
with a street value of $1.5 million, Ashcroft said.

The indictment, unsealed yesterday, said the cocaine and heroin trafficking 
ring operated out of J.B.'s Coffee Shop and Diner, 2615 Perrysville Ave., 
North Side.

The indictment named as defendants: Oliver Beasley, 38, of Pierce Street, 
East Liberty; Donald "Chief" Lyles, 28, of Allegheny Center, North Side; 
Edward "Flav" Myrick, 39, of Logan Road, Bethel Park; Pamela "Aunti" 
Watson, 53, of Buena Vista Drive, North Side; Jerome "Spike" Hollaman, 37, 
of Mount Pleasant Road, North Side; Michael Gyure, 32, of Ivory Avenue, 
North Side; Andre Key, 27, of Goshen Street, North Side; Leonard Worth, 49, 
of Mayflower Street, East Liberty; Delgardo Scott, 46, of Sherman Avenue, 
North Side; Todd Green, 37, of Red Schoolhouse Road, Spring Valley, N.Y.; 
and Herbert Felder, 33, of Shepard Avenue, Newark, N. J.

Scott was released on house arrest. A detention hearing will be held 
Tuesday for Beasley, Myrick and Lyles. Gyure and Hollaman were released 
after posting 10 percent of $50,000 bond. The rest of those indicted are 
being held at the Allegheny County Jail.

The seven-count indictment includes a charge that the defendants conspired 
to distribute heroin and cocaine. The U.S. Attorney's office in Pittsburgh 
said they could face life in prison.

News of the indictments pleased two police chiefs in Pittsburgh's suburbs.

"I'm obviously very happy this happened," Carnegie police Chief Jeff Harbin 
said. "Carnegie, unfortunately, had three incidents that brought a renewed 
problem to the community.

"I welcome this huge arrest. Hopefully, it will curtail the problem we, and 
other communities, have been having."

Bethel Park police Chief John Mackey said: "I'm obviously thrilled with 
that news because I know that some of the heroin that came into Bethel Park 
came from the North Side. I hope that it (the bust) has a significant 
impact on the problems we've been experiencing.

"Unfortunately, there is still a demand out there - that's the 
problem.  Kids go where they have to, to buy drugs. Time will tell."

The indictment seeks the forfeiture of a silver Mercedes Benz, four other 
vehicles and at least $5 million in "cash equivalents, and bank account 
balances." It also seeks the forfeiture of several properties and 
businesses, including J.B.'s Coffee Shop and Diner and Beeda Bees Beauty 
Salon, 2537 Perrysville Ave., North Side.

This is not the first time that Beasley, identified by authorities as the 
head of the drug trafficking network, has been in trouble. An Allegheny 
County detective arrested Beasley on July 27, 1998, after a police officer 
eating in Sammy's Famous Corned Beef restaurant on Smithfield Street, 
Downtown, saw him pick up a black backpack another diner left behind. The 
backpack contained 13.2 kilos of cocaine.

The state Superior Court in October 2000 upheld a ruling from Allegheny 
Common Pleas Judge Donna Jo McDaniel that found the seizure of the backpack 
was inadmissible because the detective lacked reasonable suspicion that 
Beasley was engaged in criminal activity.

Beasley was on probation in a federal narcotics arrest at the time of his 
1998 arrest.

Also attending Ashcroft's news conference were other area law enforcement 
officials, DEA administrator Asa Hutchinson and state Attorney General Mike 
Fisher.
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