ERIE – A large scale meth manufacturing organization operating in and around Erie County has been dismantled by narcotics agents from the Attorney General’s Office.
Attorney General Tom Corbett said that 29 individuals are charged with being involved in the oldest known methamphetamine manufacturing operation in Northwestern Pennsylvania.
The investigation, known as “Operation Family Cook-Out,” began in March 2007 and focused on the illegal trafficking of methamphetamine by James Frey, 45, Albion and Ronald Frey, 42, Albion, Erie County.
According to the criminal complaint James and Ronald Frey manufactured methamphetamine at each of their residences, packaged and sold the drug from their homes between 1994 and 2007. The Frey brothers allegedly sold meth for as much $50 per half gram during that time.
The charges state that James and Ronald Frey frequently accepted pseudoephedrine tablets in lieu of cash for quantities of methamphetamine and beginning in the spring of 2006, Ronald Frey no longer accepted any cash for manufactured meth.
“The Frey brothers have been making a business out of cooking methamphetamine for 14 years,” Corbett said. “Today their business is shut-down and a significant hole has been put in the Erie meth market.”
According to the charges, the Frey brothers were assisted in the orchestration and maintenance of the organization by Patricia Frey (wife of Ronald Frey), Bradley Hatcher and Robert Loucks.
In addition to the individuals used to help maintain the business, the brothers commonly used “pill shoppers” to gather and shop for products that contained pseudoephedrine. These individuals allegedly travelled to different pharmacies in the Erie area, and even Ohio, searching for tablets that could be converted into meth.
The charges state that Ronald Frey instructed one of his pill shoppers to purchase a box of pseudoephedrine tablets at each store and not return for more cold medicine at the same store until eight days later, in order to lessen the chance of suspicion at the pharmacies.
Corbett said that agents examined pseudoephedrine logs at several Erie County stores and identified 28 individuals, who had a regular pattern of purchasing these cold medications more than the recommended allowances for individual use. These individuals were also identified as regular suppliers of pseudoephedrine tablets for the Frey brothers.
During a Dec. 3, 2007 search on James and Ronald Frey’s residences, agents found 4,405 grams of finished methamphetamine and methamphetamine oil, with an estimated street value of $142,000.
Corbett noted that methamphetamine oil is one step away from the finished methamphetamine used on the street.
Corbett thanked the Pennsylvania State Police, Erie County District Attorney Brad Foulk, Albion Police Department, Cambridge Springs Police Department, Edinboro Police Department, Erie Police Department, Erie County Sherriff’s Department, Franklin Police Department, Girard Police Department, Lake City Police Department, Millcreek Police Department, Titusville Police Department, the Meth Task Force, and Mercyherst College for their assistance with the investigation.
The case will be prosecuted jointly with the Erie County District Attorney’s office.
A full list of the defendants and the charges against them is below:
— James Frey, 45, Albion, is charged with three counts precursor liquefied ammonia gas, pseudoephedrine, two counts of corrupt organizations, two counts of possession with the intent to deliver and manufacturing methamphetamine, one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count of possession of methamphetamine.
— Ronald Frey, 42, Albion, is charged with three counts precursor liquefied ammonia gas, pseudoephedrine, two counts of corrupt organizations, two counts of possession with the intent to deliver and manufacturing of methamphetamine, one count of criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, one count of possession of methamphetamine and one count manufacture with a child under age 18.
— Patricia Frey, 42, Albion, is charged with two counts of corrupt organization, two counts of possession with the intent to deliver and manufacture methamphetamine, two counts precursor liquefied ammonia gas, pseudoephedrine, one count of criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count manufacture with a child under age 18.
— Bradley Hatcher, 29, Conneautville, currently incarcerated in the Erie County Prison, is charged with two counts of corrupt organization, two counts of possession with the intent to deliver and manufacture methamphetamine, one count of criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, one count of possession methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Robert Loucks, 33, Fairview, is charged with two counts of corrupt organization, two counts possession with the intent to deliver and manufacture methamphetamine, one count of criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Kathleen Aulenbacher, 39, Albion, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Matthew Blood, 24, Conneautville, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— James Boban Jr., 27, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Lee Braden, 30, Conneaut, OH, currently incarcerated in the Erie County Prison, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Genevieve Brown, 22, Albion, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Marci Deemer, 29, Conneaut, OH, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Ronda Hatcher, 45, Conneautville, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Richard Horsemanko, 28, Conneautville, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Ronald Kimmy II, 41, ,Albion, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— William Laseck Jr., 49, Albion, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Dorothy Loucks, 31, Girard, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Matthew Madden, 44, Albion is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— David Merritt, 45, Springboro, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor liquefied ammonia gas.
— Michael Miczo Jr., 40, Albion, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Mark Neiswonger, 33, Springboro, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Scott Parker, 45, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Gerald Ryan, 45, Albion, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Robert Ryan, 25, Girard, currently incarcerated in the Erie County Prison, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Stacey Shiley, 44, Albion, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— John Smith, 47, Saegertown, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Joyce Sumner, 39, Albion is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Angela Williams, 31, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Sara Youmans, 29, Girard, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.
— Tasha Zeigler, 31, Conneaut, OH, is charged with one count criminal conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one count precursor pseudoephedrine.