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It is alleged that Desirae Feitl, Quinzal Powell, Jodi Shirey, Brandi Zediker, and Crystal Pakutz transported an estimated kilo of heroin and fentanyl to Butler County with a value of up to $400,000, according to AG Josh Shapiro.
The five Pennsylvania residents operated the ring between January and October 2020 and orchestrated the sale and distribution of more than 1,000 grams, or 50,000 doses, of heroin and fentanyl between the two counties, Shapiro said.
"11 Pennsylvanians die from opioids every day, and we will not sit idly by when dealers traffic poison across Pennsylvania and try to profit from devastating our communities,” Shapiro said.
“My office, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold those accountable who profit from drug trafficking.”
During the time of the operation, Feitl and Pakutz each sold approximately 256 and 820 grams, or 12,800 and 41,000 doses, of heroin/fentanyl, whereas Shirey and Zediker acted as distributors for the drugs being sold by Feitl and Pakutz, Shapiro noted.
When a search warrant was executed on a hotel room under the name of Pakutz on October 1, 2020, a bag of fentanyl, a scale, empty stamp bags, and other packaging materials were found, Shapiro said.
Two weeks later, Feitl was stopped and found to be in possession of seven bundles, or 70 bags, of fentanyl.
A subsequent search of her home uncovered 1121 stamp bags of fentanyl and approximately $10,000 in cash, Shapiro said. An additional $221,000 was located in a storage locker in her name.
Later that day, Powell was stopped during a traffic stop, which discovered 1150 stamp bags of fentanyl that were hidden under the center console, Shapiro said.
“When multiple law enforcement agencies collaborate on an investigation, the community is the beneficiary. Thanks to a lengthy, joint investigation by the Office of Attorney General and the Butler County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force, huge quantities of heroin and fentanyl were removed from the streets of Butler County, and several hundred thousand dollars of drug money were seized,” said Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger.
“Further, five individuals who were involved with the distribution for profit of these narcotics have been removed from our streets. It is with the utmost gratitude that I thank the men and women of these agencies who put their lives on the line to investigate and subsequently arrest these individuals and prevent their drugs from getting into the hands of Butler County citizens. Butler County is a safer place today due to their work."
The five individuals have each been charged with corrupt organizations, delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility, and conspiracy.
The case was a joint investigation with the Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigations and the Butler County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force. The Butler City Police, Butler Township Police, Penn Township Police, and Butler County Sheriff’s Department also assisted in various aspects of this case.
Investigators believe that the drugs trafficked in these communities by the five individuals may have led to some overdose deaths in Butler County.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Kara Cotter
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