Tag Archives: drugs

Backwards Pursuits Send Perpetrators Back to Jail

Posted on by

Three males were charged after the driver of their vehicle rammed a police car and tried to escape while driving in reverse.

On August 27th, Officer Ryan Yoder observed a vehicle that had previously been involved in criminal activity, including fleeing from officers. Acting on an inspection violation, Officer Yoder stopped the vehicle in the 700 block of Manor Street. As the stop occurred, two occupants began to walk away from the vehicle. As Officer Yoder was making contact with these two individuals the driver, a juvenile male, rammed into Officer Yoder’s car and left the parking lot.

Officer Yoder immediately pursued the car as it backed out onto the street. As Officer Yoder was leaving the parking lot, the driver accelerated forward rapidly and struck Officer Yoder’s vehicle again. The driver again began to drive, in reverse, away from Officer Yoder.

Seeing an opportunity to protect countless individuals driving and walking in the area, Officer Yoder was quickly able to disable the fleeing vehicle and contain it safely. The driver began to exit the vehicle, with a stolen handgun in his hand, as Officer Yoder approached. Fortunately for all, the driver dropped the handgun while trying to get out of the car. Officer Yoder quickly seized the handgun and the driver was placed under arrest with the assistance of responding officers. A later search of the car yielded a second stolen handgun.

Through a thorough investigation and with the help of numerous other members of the Lancaster City Police, the two fleeing passengers were quickly identified. Evidence linking both of these individuals with possessing the seized handguns was also located by Officer Yoder. All three occupants were charged with various firearms and stolen property offenses. The driver was also charged with a number of assault, drug, and fleeing offenses as well.

Great work by Officer Yoder in finding and apprehending these dangerous people! Our city is that much safer with your actions!

Two Drug Dealers Charged From One Stop

Posted on by

After a brief game of cat and mouse, two drug dealers were caught with three different types of poison: crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and methamphetamine.

On May 21st Officers Harry Valverde and Randall Myers were on patrol in the southwest portion of Lancaster City when they noticed two men in a vehicle attempting to hide from them. Traveling at high rates of speed, through narrow alleys, and trying to walk away from the car was not enough effort to avoid these two officers. During the stop Officers Valverde and Myers discovered that the men were in possession of large amounts of money and had evidence of drugs inside the car. A later search of the car yielded nearly $1,000 of street drugs and the two were charged with possession with intent to deliver controlled substances.

Excellent persistence and observations by these officers led to this great arrest. Thank you Officers Valverde and Myers as well as all of the officers of our department for a job well done!

Man Wanted for Gun Possession Arrested for Gun Possession

Posted on by

On May 21st Officer Ryan Yoder discovered an unregistered vehicle driving in the area of S Prince Street and W Farnum Street. Officer Yoder stopped the car and made contact with the driver, an adult man. During the course of the interaction, Officer Yoder noticed signs that there were drugs inside the car and found that the man was wanted through York County. The warrant, related to a prior arrest for illegally possessing a handgun, was verified and the man was arrested.

After the arrest, Officer Yoder discovered that the man had an empty handgun holster with him. Curious to why the holster was empty, and using all of his observations to that point, Officer Yoder was granted a search warrant for the car. Upon searching the car, Officer Yoder was able to locate the man’s illegally possessed handgun as well as his 32 grams of crack cocaine and drug packaging materials.

Thank you Officer Yoder for putting this dangerous individual behind bars as well as removing a handgun and $3,200 worth of drugs from our community!

Amateur Armorer Charged After Warrant

Posted on by

A month-long investigation into a Lancaster City man resulted in a search warrant at his home in the 500 block of First Street.

During the month of April 2022, the Selective Enforcement Unit (SEU) conducted an investigation into the sale and construction of firearms and peddling of drugs from the man’s home. On May 7th SEU officers, with the assistance of the Lancaster County Special Emergency Response Team, conducted a search warrant at the address.

As a result of the search warrant, two rifles and a plethora of gun smithing tools and firearm parts were located and seized. Ammunition for handguns and rifles as well as packaging materials for drugs were also found which lead to numerous felony and misdemeanor charges against the man, who is a prior felon.

Thank you to the members of the Selective Enforcement Unit for your commitment and bravery. This investigation will no doubt help Lancaster City continue to be a safe place to be.

Homicide Arrest Made After 20-month Investigation

Posted on by

The end of April 2022 brought an end to an extensive homicide investigation as Detective Ryan Burgett filed criminal homicide charges on an adult man.

In September 2020, members of the Lancaster City Bureau of Police were called to a shooting in the 500 block of East End Avenue. Detectives immediately began an investigation by looking for cameras, canvassing for witnesses, and examining evidence. The shooting victim, who was initially transported to a local hospital for treatment, succumbed to their injuries several days later. 

At the onset of the investigation, it was known that it would not be easy. Throughout the next year and a half, Detective Ryan Burgett worked tirelessly in uncovering additional evidence and speaking with person after person in an attempt to connect all of the information together. From this, a suspect was developed.

Several months into the investigation, and with the assistance of Detective Toby Hickey, a major breakthrough in the case was made. Detective Burgett seized the opportunity and left no stone unturned. The lead to the discovery of additional persons of interests and investigative routes to explore.

Further assistance in the investigation came from Officer Christopher Kophamel and Officer Michael Schwebel when they made a traffic stop in January 2022. The passenger, the suspect of the shooting, was arrested on an outstanding probation warrant and found in possession of a handgun and a large amount of prescription medication.

His hard work paid off and on April 29th Detective Burgett filed charges of criminal homicide and persons not to possess firearms against the male. The accused is an extremely dangerous individual and he will now be out of our community thanks to the hard work of Detective Burgett and many other members of the Lancaster City Police.

Man Calls In His Own Arrest

Posted on by

Over the course of several months, detectives in the Lancaster City Police Violent Crime Unit worked with PA Department of Corrections Intelligence Analyst Damien Mscisz regarding an adult male illegally possessing firearms. Analyst Mscisz had uncovered phone and video calls of the male conversing with an inmate. During these conversations the man was displaying and describing, in great detail, his collection of handguns and accessories which attracted the attention of the inmate as well as the police. 

On April 20th 2022 members of the Special Emergency Response Team conducted their own call…at the man’s house. Eager to show off his stolen handgun to the police, the man threw it out of his third story bedroom to the street below and at the feet of Detective Stan Roache. All of the occupants were then quickly and safely removed from the house and a search was conducted inside by numerous detectives.

Inside the house, police found numerous high capacity “extended” magazines as well as a 50-round drum style magazine. A large amount of ammunition for various calibers of handguns were also seized. Approximately ¼ pound of marijuana, packaged for sale, and numerous prescription medications were found as well.

This investigation started and ended with great teamwork and coordination. Thank you to all involved for your hard work and commitment to making Lancaster City safe for everyone!

Back To Prison For Federal Parolee

Posted on by

A Federal parolee is safely behind bars after his latest meet and greet with the Lancaster City Police.

In the afternoon of March 10th 2022, Sergeant Andrew Nauman was attempting to locate an adult male involved in a domestic violence investigation. Sgt. Nauman was able to locate and stop him in the 300 block of E Walnut Street and found that a warrant related to a separate domestic assault had just been issued for the man’s arrest earlier that day.

Upon taking him into custody Sgt. Nauman found that the male, a convicted felon on Federal Parole, had a handgun in his waistband. The man also had over 300 grams of marijuana, over 300 pills of Ecstacy, a large amount of Oxycodone, and drug packaging materials.

Great work Sgt. Nauman for taking him off of our streets!

Gun Carrying Drug Dealer Unable to Avoid Capture

Posted on by

A gun carrying drug dealer was caught in the act on March 8th 2022.

It was about 3 AM when Officers Randall Myers and Charlie Darkes-Burkey spotted an adult male acting suspiciously in an area well-known for drug sales. The male attempted to leave the area in his car, not realizing that our officers were already several steps ahead of him. Unable to hide from officers, he was stopped for a traffic violation. Still thinking he was smarter than our officers, the driver unsuccessfully tried to hide an illegal handgun underneath his seat. Further investigation found a significant amount of marijuana, methamphetamine, and drug packaging materials.

Thank you Officers Myers and Darkes-Burkey for your diligence in removing guns, drugs, and criminals from Lancaster City!

Selective Enforcement Unit Makes 2021 A Record Year

Posted on by

The Selective Enforcement Unit (SEU) is critical to keeping Lancaster City a safe place to live, work, and visit. Sergeant Tom Cole, who recently celebrated his 20th year of service, leads the unit of five officers as they use various methods in identifying and prosecuting street and mid-level drug dealing throughout the City. Much of their work ties into other investigations within Lancaster City and County including drug networks, homicides, shootings, robberies, and theft related crimes. These officers are selected based on their strong character, high work ethic, and tenacity in fighting crime.

The unit’s duties are not limited to investigations. Their weekly activities include speaking with their community about improving their neighborhood, testifying in court, attending and conducting trainings, following investigative leads, information sharing with other agencies, writing reports, completing casework, and assisting others within the department. These officers also each take on other duties including serving as members of the Special Emergency Response Team, the Use of Force Cadre, and conducting pre-employment background investigations. The unit has also become a trusted ally of the Lancaster County Drug Task Force, the PA Attorney General’s Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigations, among others. Their dedication to the success of the department and improvement of life in Lancaster City is obvious.

The achievements of SEU can also be attributed to the hard work of the countless other officers of the department who worked alongside them and shared information. A tremendous thank you and congratulations to SEU for their relentless pursuit of criminals.

Authors note: This unit functions under a full team mentality and are asked to perform undercover operations, which is why each officer’s name is not featured here.

SEU 2021 Year End Statistics:

  • 183 people charged with crimes
  • 965 Felony charges
    • 688 of those being Delivery of a Controlled Substance or Possession With Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance
  • 104 Misdemeanor charges
  • 9 residential search warrants

Seizures:

  • 9 handguns
  • 54.06 grams of heroin ($18,020 street value)
  • 245.14 grams of cocaine ($24,514 street value)
  • 1702.1 grams of marijuana ($17,021 street value)
  • 340 grams of K2/synthetic ($3,400 street value)
  • 120 grams of methamphetamine ($12,000 street value)
  • 51 packets of Suboxone ($510 street value)
  • 302 various prescription pills such as Oxycodone, Xanax, etc.