HARRISBURG, PA — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced felony charges against two Ohio residents accused of transporting a large shipment of cocaine into western Pennsylvania, following a joint investigation by state, federal, and local authorities.
Officials said the arrests occurred on Saturday in Beaver Falls, when agents from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, along with investigators from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Pennsylvania State Police, and Patterson Township Police, stopped a vehicle carrying what investigators allege was approximately five kilograms of cocaine, valued at $110,000.
The suspects, identified as Darnell Lawson, 45, and Taylor Suggs, 31, were taken into custody and charged with felony drug trafficking. Bail for each was set at $1 million.
Statements from Officials
Attorney General Sunday praised the collaboration that led to the arrests. “Communities are safer when law enforcement works together, and this stoppage of a high-level drug-trafficking operation is an example of that,” he said. “Our office will continue to be a leader and willing partner in unified efforts to cut trafficking pipelines, and hold accountable dealers who often subject communities to violence as they protect their lucrative, illegal trade.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Thomas Hodnett echoed that message, calling the investigation “a testament to the commitment and collaboration between the DEA, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Together, we are dismantling drug organizations operating in Pennsylvania.”
Vehicle Stop and Seizure
Authorities said investigators had been monitoring a rental vehicle suspected of transporting narcotics. When officers attempted a stop, the vehicle fled down an embankment but was quickly halted by police. A search revealed the cocaine packaged inside a bag located in the trunk.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities indicated additional charges or arrests may follow as the case develops.
Officials emphasize that all criminal charges are allegations only, and that Lawson and Suggs, like all defendants, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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