Indiana County District Attorney Robert Manzi announced on Tuesday that one person is facing drug charges following a raid in Indiana Borough.
Manzi said in a news release 38-year-old Richard Shaffer of Indiana faces a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver as a result of an investigation that dates back several months. A concerned resident alerted the Indiana County Drug Task Force in March that Shaffer allegedly sold heroin, and a four-month investigation followed which entailed a controlled purchase through a confidential informant. During that time, Shaffer was found to have allegedly sold and/or distributed heroin in Indiana County, and law enforcement officials obtained arrest and search warrants.
The search warrant was executed Friday morning at his apartment along Church Street, and law enforcement officials reportedly found narcotics, a digital scale, and materials used to package and sell heroin. Shaffer was not home at the time of the search but was later arrested in Blairsville.
Shaffer was charged via criminal complaint with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 16 at 1:15 PM in front of District Judge Guy Haberl.
Assisting the Indiana County Drug Task Force were members from the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Indiana and Blairsville borough police departments, Pennsylvania State Police and the Indiana County Sheriff’s Office.
