Worthington Police Arrest Pittsburgh Drug Trafficker

by David Croyle

A Pittsburgh North Side man was arrested by Worthington Borough Police early Thursday morning after being discovered in the Sunoco parking lot along Route 422 in Worthington.

Worthington Police Chief William DeForte described the situation.

“Approximately 3:30 in the morning, a suspicious vehicle was parked in the Sunoco gas station lot. The Sunoco gas station closes at nine o’clock in the evening. Typically there shouldn’t be any vehicles or people loitering in the parking lot. It was checked out by my officers. There was a lot of movement in the vehicle. There were three individuals in the vehicle – a driver, passenger, and rear passenger. All individuals were taken into custody. The driver was very cooperative. He gave us voluntary written permission to search the vehicle. Both the front passenger and the driver gave voluntary written statements that the individual in the back seat was carrying a specified amount of heroin. Along with that statement and the written voluntary statement allowing us to search the vehicle, we recovered 105 stamp bags of heroin and a small amount of marijuana.”

The rear passenger was identified as Anthony Wofford, 21, from the North Side of Pittsburgh. He was arrested on three counts that included drug possession with the intent to deliver. He was arraigned before District Magisterial Judge James Owen mid-morning yesterday and committed to the Armstrong County Jail in lieu of $75,000 bond.

No charges were brought against the driver or front seat passenger.

In addition to DeForte, Officer Gerald Rodgers assisted in the arrest. Worthington Borough Elected Constable Barry Rosen assisted in the transport of the suspect.

DeForte said it was difficult to estimate the street value of the heroin.

“In some areas, it would be worth $3,000 to $5,000. In other areas it would be significantly less. In major cities, it would go as low as $10 per stamp bag. But when you get more rural, it could go up to $20-$30 per bag.”

DeForte said he believes the heroin came from Pittsburgh with the intent to be delivered in Armstrong County.

DeForte, who is also a member of the Armstrong County Drug Task Force, said that more police presence is needed in each community to curb the rate of drugs coming into the county.

“The Armstrong County Drug Task Force does an excellent job. Every department we have in this county does an excellent job. We just need more money to do it for law enforcement personnel needed to combat the drugs that are coming into the county. We have the talent. We have a lot of incredible officers in Armstrong County. We just need more money.”

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