Ford City Suspects Plead Guilty to Drug Possession

Hank Kromer, of Manorville (photos courtesy of the Armstrong County Jail)

Hank Kromer, of Manorville (photos courtesy of the Armstrong County Jail)

A local man and a local woman part of a handful of alleged narcotics dealers and gun thieves arrested in Ford City in April have pled guilty.

Hank Kromer – of Manorville – and Stephanie Swinder – of Ford City – pled guilty to two counts each of misdemeanor drug possession during the end of last week before Armstrong County President Judge Kenneth Valasek.

Swinder – who pled on Thursday – was sentenced already to one year of probation, in addition to costs and fees.

April 1, Ford City, Manor Township and Kittanning Borough Police officers, along with Pennsylvania State Police troopers, arrested Kromer, Swindler, Chaunie Bennett of Templeton, Jayvon Craighead of Penn Hills and Marquis Rosser of Pittsburgh in a search warrant at 903 Fifth Ave in Ford City Borough.

According to court affidavits filed April 2, Ford City Police received a search warrant for the residence belonging to Swindler and executed a search warrant shortly before midnight that evening.

Stephanie Swindler, of Ford City (photos courtesy of the Armstrong County Jail)

Stephanie Swindler, of Ford City (photos courtesy of the Armstrong County Jail)

After securing several individuals inside the apartment, officers observed drug paraphernalia and illegal narcotics in plain view. Troopers later found suspected heroin, marijuana and crack cocaine in the residence, as well as stamp bags, Xanax pills and a burnt metal spoon among other items such as two stolen handguns.

Former-Ford City Borough Police Chief Roger Wright said the suspected illegal activity has been “ongoing” for some time in the municipality.

“The aforementioned residence had been known to this department to be one of the largest and most complex dealers of illegal narcotics in our borough,” Chief Wright wrote in a previous news release.

All five individuals are charged with either one or two counts of felony receiving stolen property, felony possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, felony corrupt organizations and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ford City Police Sergeant Johnathan Freel previously said he received information from ARMNET Area Coordinator Frank Pitzer that led to the search warrant.

“In this day in age, you need to have the cooperation of other departments. It felt good getting everybody involved,” Sergeant Freel said. “It’s something we see, and we do feel helpless at times to do anything about it just because police officers are restricted by laws – criminals are not.

“A lot of good work transpired that night, and we got lucky. In the end, it took every last one of us to pull that off.”

categories Armstrong County Court House | September 12, 2016

6 Comments

  • By futureconcerned, September 12, 2016 @ 9:39 AM

    Why do we pay a Drug Task Force to investigate and arrest this scum if the Judge is just going to put them back on the street? 1 year probation??????? Hopefully a candidate for judge will emerge who really understands that we need these dealers put away for a long, long, long time.

  • By ktown_kid, September 12, 2016 @ 11:16 AM

    Kudos judge valasek for slapping them on the wrist again. Then when the fine citizens of our boros decide to start taking our streets back, we will get the full punishment. It just amazes me how these dealers and addicts get next to nothing and are out on the streets within a day or 2.

  • By walrus, September 12, 2016 @ 11:29 AM

    unbelieveable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • By concernedformykids, September 12, 2016 @ 12:55 PM

    ABSOLUTELY ABSURD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ONE YEAR PROBATION???? SMH. UNBELIEVABLE. The task force has to be shaking their heads. But at least they(the task force), the “free” lawyers for these punks, the coroner, and the funeral homes all know they will have job for life. Because if our judges are going to keep handing out these slaps on the wrists, more arrests will be made, which means more court proceedings, and most important, LIVES lost!!! WAKE UP JUDGE VALASEK!!

  • By omgicantbelieveit, September 12, 2016 @ 4:21 PM

    Another slap on the wrist Judge Valasek. I can’t wait till that man is out of office. He has helped ruin Armstrong County.

  • By Rainbow Rider, September 12, 2016 @ 9:07 PM

    Agree futureconcerned , good old light sentence Valasek, making us less safe again.

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