DA: Criminal Network Trafficked in Stolen Guns, Distributed Deadly Drugs

The Bucks County District Attorney’s office has announced charges against 19 people it says were members of an organized crime ring that trafficked in stolen guns and distributed deadly drugs throughout much of southeastern Pennsylvania.

In a news release Monday, authorities said a grand jury investigation has linked the “Finlan Drug Trafficking Organization” to two overdose deaths; those of Kenneth Klingman in Center Valley and Justin DiDonato in Sellersville.

Two of the 19 people named in the indictment handed down by the grand jury–Shana Michelle Finlan, 40, of Lansdale, and Debbie Lisa Booth, 62, of Center Valley–have been directly linked to Klingman’s death, the release said. Anthony Augusto Rola, 45, of Sellersville, has allegedly been linked to DiDonato’s death.

Also charged in the criminal conspiracy case are Ivan Freeman, David Gowen, Jessica Lerner, Elizabeth Fox, Joseph Sharon, Jason Hill, Jolene Valencia, Corey Dick, Matthew Holtzhafer, Damien Geissler, Matthew Kuhnle, Jeffrey Cooper, Matthew Cooper, Travis Hoover, Antonino Indelicato and Lynda Jones.

According to the news release, the charged individuals were part of a network that operated “under the guise of a local landscaping business” in order to “flood” southeastern Pennsylvania streets with methamphetamine and fentanyl.

“The investigation revealed that the organization used Contemporary Gardens, a business located in Perkasie, as a strategic base of operations to facilitate its illicit trade,” the release said. “From this hub, the syndicate’s influence stretched across Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh and Philadelphia counties.”

Investigators said members of the alleged gang stole firearms by breaking into homes, later selling them to individuals legally prohibited from owning guns or trading them for drugs; actions which they said resulted in a “significant public safety threat.”

“Each individual played a specific role in the supply chain, from bulk sourcing in urban hubs to street-level distribution in the Upper Bucks region,” the release said.

Authorities said that among the evidence reviewed by the grand jury was testimony from law enforcement officers and citizens. Witness testimony “provided detailed information, including the reported sourcing of large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from sources outside of Bucks County and the connection between the drug trade and illegal firearms activity, including the possession and sale of stolen or illegally acquired weapons,” the DA’s office said.

The investigation was conducted under the jurisdiction of the Liberty Mid-Atlantic High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area with support from the Quakertown, Perkasie, Pennridge Regional, Upper Saucon Township, Montgomery Township and Philadelphia police departments as well as the Montgomery County Detectives.

“The dismantlement of this organization sends a clear message that we will not tolerate those who poison our communities and traffic illegal firearms in Bucks County,” said Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan in a statement. “By leveraging the power of the Grand Jury and our Drug Strike Force, we have severed a major regional supply chain and held those responsible for the tragic loss of life accountable for their actions.”

Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using information provided by the Bucks County District Attorney’s office and Bucks County court records.