Harrison County SCAD unit makes large heroin bust

NUTTER FORT, W. Va. — A traffic stop in Stonewood lead to one of the biggest heroin busts ever for the Harrison County Street Crimes and Drug unit.

Ralph Gordan “Mook” Gaston, Jr., of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, Gerald Lee Pass, Jr., 28, of Pittsburgh and Migeah “Miguel” Dennis Edward Smith, 25, of Pittsburgh were captured Tuesday night around 9:00 p.m. with 52 and a half bricks –just over 2,600 doses– of heroin. Authorities estimate the street value of the drugs to be around $52,000.

“I believe that they were here to set up and sell on the street to lower-level distributors. This was going to head all over Harrison County and beyond,” Sheriff Albert Marano said. “This particular bust, I believe, is the largest that the street crimes unit has done in one, individual setting.”

Heroin seized in the recent bust by the Harrison County SCAD unit

Two officers with the Stonewood Police Department, working a DUI shift with the Govenor’s Highway Safety Patrol made the initial stop Tuesday afternoon. Nothing was found on an initial search. However, members of the SCAD unit recognized some of the names based on a previous bust involving Gaston’s relative Raimonte Gordon “Boog” Gaston last year and their affiliation with the Crips street gang.

“The Street Crimes unit located one of the individual’s cell phone numbers,” Cheif Deputy Jeff McAtee said. “We were able to obtain his personal cell phone number. So, while we’re watching the individuals and following them, one of our officers utilized an undercover cell phone and sent a text message to one of the individuals telling them ‘The police are after you. They’re coming.'”

The suspects immediately stopped, abandoned the vehicle and eluded the cops on foot. The Salem K-9 unit was requested to respond to the abandoned vehicle and made a positive identification for drugs.

Search warrants were obtained and executed at the hotel where the suspects were staying.

No weapons were found, nor was a significant sum of money. This along with a receipt found in the vehicle dated Monday from New York indicates authorities were able to catch the drugs before they were distributed.

“You’re looking at 2,620 $20 doses, so that’s 2,620 opportunities for people to die,” Harrison County Prosecuting Attorney Joe Shaffer said. “There’s heroin in here, but you don’t know what else is mixed in with it.”

Had the bust not been made so early, McAtee estimates the supply would have been sold in its entire in three to four days.

All three are charged with possession with intent to deliver heroin, conspiracy to deliver heroin, interstate trafficking of heroin and conspiracy to commit interstate trafficking and were scheduled to be arraigned by Magistrates Tuesday morning

According to Shaffer, if convicted on every charge, the three face up to four years in prison.

During a press conference Wednesday, Shaffer, McAtee and Marano addressed the drug problem in the area.

Part of it can be attributed to the profit which can be made in West Virginia off of heroin — nearly $5 made in the state for every $1 spent in a “source city” like New York, according to McAtee.

Another part, Shaffer said, is due to the demand in the area. If there was not a “thirst” for the drugs, suppliers would not be coming.

A new website launched by Harrison County hopes to attack the problem on both fronts.

The already operational harrisoncountydrug.com allows citizens to send in anonymous tips on drug activity and provides links which lead to drug treatment resources.

“This website is up and running right now and we expect to keep building on it and adding new information,” Shaffer said. “It will be monitored on a daily basis.”

Citizens are also encouraged to call in their anonymous tips of drug activity to 1-304-626-4939.





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