Drug roundup

HARRISON -- A Natrona man who told police five drug thugs invaded his apartment two years ago and threw him in a car trunk for a trip to Pittsburgh seeking heroin, received another unwanted ride Tuesday morning.

The Westmoreland County Drug Task Force and state drug agents charged Scott Brenninghouse, 34, of Garfield Street, with allegedly selling about 100 stamp bags of heroin two years ago.

Brenninghouse was one of more than 40 people arrested Tuesday in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, most for allegedly selling drugs last year. Among them were two juveniles.

Police also were looking for as many as 18 more suspects for assorted drug charges, putting the total number of suspects at as many as 58.

The majority of those arrested are from the Alle-Kiski Valley, state Attorney General Jerry Pappert said at a press conference.

Pappert said there is no apparent connection between the suspects other than allegedly selling drugs.

The suspects range in age from juveniles to 61.

They are charged with selling powdered and crack cocaine, heroin, the pain pills OxyContin and Vicodin, and Ecstasy, police said. Ecstasy is a man-made drug that causes both hallucinogenic and stimulant effects.

Arraignments took place before district justices in Harrison, Vandergrift, Lower Burrell and elsewhere. Some suspects posted bond and were released.

Because Harrison, Tarentum, Brackenridge, Fawn and East Deer police joined the drug task force in July, coordinated arrests were made on both sides of the Allegheny River for the first time, according to Pappert.

"We've just erased that invisible barrier called the county line," Harrison Police Chief Mike Klein said.

Tarentum Chief Bill Vakulick said the arrests won't end drug sales, "but it will slow it down and a lot of the others will be looking over their shoulders."

Pappert said five "mid-level dealers" were arrested in areas outside the Valley and he said the others are "upper-level street dealers."

Arresting alleged street dealers "improves the quality of life" by taking drugs off the streets and some of the dealers reveal their suppliers to win leniency, he said.

"We're always looking to go up the ladder," Pappert said, flanked by Klein and five other Valley police chiefs as well as chiefs for Delmont and Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County.

Earlier, Vandergrift Chief Joseph Caporali said small town police can identify suspects, but they can't buy from them "because everybody knows everybody."

The task force brings in outside officers and provides the money to make the alleged drug buys, Pappert said.

At the round-up scene

Brenninghouse was arrested without incident at about 7:30 a.m. when he answered the door of his apartment to see police with drawn pistols.

He is facing six drug charges for allegedly twice selling 50 stamped bags of heroin -- known as a brick -- for $550 a brick.

Brenninghouse, wearing closely cropped hair and beard, and shorts, was allowed to put on a shirt and shoes before he was handcuffed and led to a waiting Harrison police car.

The cars next stopped around the corner at a River Road duplex.

With guns drawn, police knocked on the door in their search for two suspects.

Leon Cash, 58, and Lynn Bennett, 52, also surrendered without incident.

Cash is charged with selling crack cocaine while Bennett is accused of selling Vicodin pills.

Similar scenes played out throughout the Valley. Officers climbed into marked cars, most starting from police stations. They searched for a suspect or two, and suspects were brought back for fingerprinting and arrest photos before being taken to the appropriate district justice's office.

Multiple trips were also made from the Oklahoma fire hall. That's where police coordinated arrests made in Vandergrift and nearby communities.

Brenninghouse was arraigned and held in lieu of $5,000 percentage bond.

Cash was held on $10,000 straight bond because of prior drug charges, while Bennett was held in lieu of $1,000 straight bond. Additional Information:

Local suspects