From staff reports
Three Oil City residents are facing numerous drug charges following the multi-agency raid of a residence in the 600 block of North Street in Oil City on Thursday morning.
The raid culminated a several-month investigation that was launched as Oil City police received numerous complaints from members of the community about the distribution of drugs in the city, according to a press release from police.
The probe led to information about drug trafficking in Oil City and surrounding areas, police said.
The complaint said two women also lived in the residence, as well as four children.
Blackshear, Chase and one of the women, Deania Holmes, 44, were arrested and arraigned Thursday.
The complaint said police found 6.8 ounces (more than 500 stamp bags) of heroin, 4.7 ounces of crystal methamphetamine, 8.8 ounces of marijuana, 1.3 ounces of crack cocaine, 33 tablets of the nerve pain medication Gabapentin and $12,249 in U.S. currency.
Police said the heroin had a street value of about $10,000, the crystal meth had a street value of about $5,500, the marijuana had a street value of about $4,600, and the crack cocaine had a street value of about $2,800.
Police said scales, packaging materials and numerous items of paraphernalia known to be consistent with the processing, packaging and sale of narcotics were also found in the residence.
Police chief Dave Ragon said firearms were also removed from the home.
Blackshear and Chase have been charged with four felony counts of manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, two felony counts of receiving stolen property, four misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of use/possession of drug paraphernalia.
Blackshear faces four additional felony counts of endangering the welfare of children-parent/guardian/other commits offense.
The three were lodged in the Venango County jail after failing to post $100,000 bail.
Preliminary hearings have been scheduled Sept. 9 in Venango County Central Court.
Oil City police said they and the Venango County District Attorney’s office appreciate the members of the community who came forward and provided information about activity that had been going on at the home and at other locations.
Franklin police, the Erie Police Department bomb squad, the FBI and Oil City Fire Department also assisted at the scene.
