10:06am: Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval

Harrison County heroin sting leads to arrests of man, 2 juveniles

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — An undercover operation in Harrison County nabbed an adult and two juveniles attempting to distribute heroin.

Travis Ryan Pennington
Travis Ryan Pennington

Working Friday in the downtown area, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department Street Crimes and Drug Unit attempted an undercover “controlled buy” of heroin from Travis Ryan Pennington, 28, of Clarksburg, who was assisted by two juvenile males from Pittsburgh.

Instead of delivering the drugs, the three took the $200 and fled the scene in Pennington’s vehicle.

Assisted by Clarksburg and state police, authorities chased the three to a convenience store, where one of the juveniles fled on foot from Chestnut Street to West Pike Street, jumping over fences and running through backyards. He was eventually caught near McDonalds.

The juvenile who did not run had $2,552 in cash and three heroin stamps in his pants pockets, while additional heroin stamps were observed in plain view inside the vehicle, police said.

“SCAD has recently received information that the heroin distribution organizations based in Pennsylvania are starting to utilize juveniles more frequently when traveling to West Virginia in an effort to avoid the harsher criminal penalties associated with the adult judicial system,” Chief Deputy Jeff McAtee said.

SCAD deputies obtained a search warrant for the suspects’ vehicle and seized $3,036 in cash along with 189 heroin stamps.

All three suspects were charged with felony counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Pennington is being held at North Central Regional Jail with bond set at $25,000. The juveniles were taken to a juvenile holding facility to await their hearings.





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