CLEARFIELD – Five of the seven men charged in the state attorney general’s “Operation Road Block” appeared for Clearfield County Centralized Court Wednesday.
“Operation Road Block,” according to state Attorney General Tom Corbett, investigated drug trafficking in and around Curwensville. As a result of an investigation that started at least five years ago, seven men (Robert “Mutt” Prisk of Curwensville, Allen Sheen, currently incarcerated in Florida, Peter Miele of Clearfield, Charles Bloom of Hyde, Dave Bressler of Curwensville, Amos Brimmer of Olanta and Tracy Kester of Curwensville) have charges filed against them as a result of a statewide investigating grand jury.
Robert Prisk
Prisk, whom Corbett called the alleged kingpin of the operation, waived his charges on to court. He remains in Clearfield County Jail in lieu of $250,000 straight bail.
Peter Miele
Miele also waived his charges on to court. He is in CCJ in lieu of $20,000 bail.
Dave Bressler
Bressler waived his counts on to court. He is in CCJ in lieu of $20,000 bail.
Amos Brimmer
Brimmer had a hearing, and Magisterial District Judge James Hawkins ruled that there was enough evidence to hold the charges to court. He is free after posting bail.
Charles Bloom
Bloom also had a hearing before Judge Hawkins, at which time the judge ruled that there was enough evidence to hold the charges to court. He is in jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.
At the preliminary hearing stage of court proceedings, the commonwealth must only prove that “on the face,” it appears that the person committed a crime.
All five men now move to the next stage of the legal process, and the cases will either be added to the list for trial or plea agreements could be entered.
The charges were filed in the case after an extensive investigation that revealed that Prisk was allegedly using the garage for his trucking company and his home to sell, store and use marijuana and cocaine. The investigation also revealed that Prisk was using his truck to transport drugs back to Clearfield County from the Poconos or New York City. Sometimes the drugs were hidden in auto parts or other cargo.
Senior Deputy Attorney General David Gorman of the state Attorney General’s Drug Strike Force Section is prosecuting the cases for the commonwealth.
Tracy Kester Allen Sheen
Two more men are still awaiting their preliminary hearings, Kester and Sheen.