Prosecution Rests in Trial of Out-of-State Man Arrested in Ohio to Clearfield County Drug

CLEARFIELD – The prosecution rested its case Tuesday against an out-of-state man who was arrested in connection with an Ohio to Clearfield County drug pipeline.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the “complete shutdown” of this drug pipeline and the subsequent criminal charges during a press conference on Jan. 8, 2019.

James Deshaun Thomas, 52, of Akron, Ohio is now standing trial on 15 felony drug-related offenses, which include 11 counts of delivery of a controlled substance.

The estimated street value of all the crystal methamphetamine, cocaine and other drugs distributed by this pipeline is $1.5 million, according to a previously-published report.

That included 10,000 grams of crystal meth, which is the equivalent of 50 to 100 doses being used every week, according to the report.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General David Gorman and Senior Deputy Attorney General Michael Madera. Thomas is represented by attorney Joe Ryan of Reynoldsville.

The investigation began when authorities established an informant who was able to purchase drugs from a local couple, Jason and Joyce Merritts, according to testimony from an OAG agent.

From September of 2017 through July of 2018, authorities arranged a total of 18 controlled purchases of meth from the Merritts, the agent testified.

Controlled buys were initially for smaller amounts of one or two grams, the agent said, but the final buy was for one-half of an ounce of meth on July 6, 2018.

Further investigation revealed that Sondra L. McQuillen of Houtzdale had been supplying the couple with drugs to sell, and that McQuillen’s source was Thomas.

The agent said McQuillen’s fiancé, Donald Mullens, and or McQuillen traveled to the Akron, Ohio area on approximately 26 occasions over a seven-month period in 2018.

On Tuesday, the agent was recalled and testified that law enforcement followed McQuillen to the Ohio border July 26, 2018, and from there, surveillance was picked up by Ohio authorities.

Because McQuillen was observed entering Thomas’ residence, the agent prepared a search warrant for McQuillen’s vehicle and arranged a traffic stop for her return trip to Clearfield County.

The agent said Pennsylvania State Police executed the search, which turned up 5.4 ounces of meth, two eight balls of cocaine and other drugs.

Paul Straney Jr., a special agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), said following McQuillen’s traffic stop, a search warrant was executed at Thomas’ residence.

It allegedly turned up over 77 grams of meth and around 168 grams of cocaine.  His Top Notch Barber Shop was also searched that same day.

From the business, Drug Task Force Officer Jimmy Fields of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said agents seized 718 grams of meth and over 53 grams of cocaine.

During cross-examination, Straney was questioned about federal drug and firearm charges filed against Thomas in connection with the drug seizures at his residence and barber shop.

Because Straney couldn’t recall details of Thomas’ plea and subsequent sentence, it was noted that he was given a 10-year sentence for drugs and another five years for weapons.

Later during re-direct, Straney explained that the federal charges were only related to the drug seizures at Thomas’ residence and business, and unrelated to the drugs brought to Clearfield County.

A second OAG agent testified to the analysis of the cellular phones used by Mullens and or McQuillen and plotting location data onto maps generated for each month from January to July of 2018.

On three or four dates monthly, the agent tracked their phone(s) from Clearfield County to Akron and then back. There was a total of 26 trips.

The agent said though location data only means the phone(s) they used were in Akron, authorities there had surveillance of McQuillen meeting Thomas twice in July of 2018.

The agent said Straney – at the direction of OAG – listened to calls Thomas made after his incarceration at Summit County Jail on July 26, 2018.

Portions of the recordings were played in court; in one call Thomas was heard, saying: “I’m in trouble, a lot of trouble,” and in another: “[expletive] Pennsylvania people.”

The trial will resume at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday before Judge Paul Cherry in Courtroom No. 1 at the Clearfield County Courthouse, and may go to the jury for deliberations.