Special Detail Drug/Warrant Blitz Held in McKean County
(BRADFORD, Pennsylvania, September 15, 2023): District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer reports that, on September 14, 2023, local police partnered with County and State law enforcement for a second saturation patrol in the Bradford area.
The McKean County District Attorney’s Office along with the McKean County Detectives, McKean County Drug Task Force, Agents with the Attorney General’s Office, McKean County Adult Probation, McKean County Sheriff’s Department, Bradford Township Police, Pennsylvania State Police-Lewis Run, State Parole, Homeland Security, Warren County Detective, City of St. Mary’s Police Dept., Emporium Borough Police Dept., Clarion Borough Police Dept. and K9s with McKean County Detective K9 Unit, City of Bradford K9, and Warren County Detective K9 joined City of Bradford Police in a joint detail in our area last night. They were assisted by McKean County Emergency Services, McKean County 911 Center, McKean County Jail, and Foster Township.
The purpose of the detail was to pursue drug offenses and locate those intending to deliver drugs as well as to locate individuals wanted on outstanding warrants or wanted for extradition.
McKean County Law Enforcement has partnered with state agencies and law enforcement from neighboring counties over the last year for similar details as a way to pool resources and make a big impact in a concentrated area. In McKean County, similar details were held previously in Bradford City and Kane within the last year.
City of Bradford Police reached out requesting to host another detail as an effective law enforcement tool to both apprehend offenders and to act as a deterrent to others. Officers developed a plan over the last two weeks to identify the goals for the detail and available law enforcement resources in the form of officers and other resources.
The detail also highlights the importance of routine patrols. Some recent notable arrests were the result of officers on routine patrol such as when enforcing the vehicle code.
One such arrest occurred last night when Officer Joshua Frederoski observed a traffic violation of a vehicle. Following his initial investigation, he requested the assistance of McKean County Detective canine Rigby, who alerted on the presence of narcotics within the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded a little more than a quarter of a pound of suspected cocaine – believed to be possessed with the intent to distribute in Bradford.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as Tabrois Baity of Cheektowaga, NY, was charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver (Felony) and Possession of a Controlled Substance. He was arraigned before on-call Magisterial District Judge David Engman who set his bail at $150,000. Baity was remanded to the McKean County Jail. More than 15 people were charged with a crime, picked up for an arrest warrant, bench warrant or as a wanted fugitive, or have charges pending.
Social media reports suggested the large police presence was tied to a fatal pedestrian crash that occurred near the Foreman Street exit. That crash was unrelated to the planned detail, although many of the visiting officers who were in the area for the detail did respond to the crash in an attempt to aid the investigation. That crash remains under investigation by Bradford City Police and further details will be provided as the investigation unfolds.
The saturation patrol yielded drug arrests, apprehension of wanted fugitives, and other matters, some resulting in suspects being taken to the McKean County Jail and others being released who will receive charges in the mail. The detail went into the early morning hours of September 15th.
DA Shaffer: “These special details will continue to occur in McKean County as well as neighboring counties because we see the benefit of joint collaboration and we are appreciative of each agency’s cooperation with us. When the City of Bradford requested this second detail after seeing the value of the multi-agency response in the first detail, we received a great response to our request for officers – both from local officers and from state agencies as well. Most of these officers drove over an hour to be here and stayed into the late evening to help us. These details are only successful with a large, concentrated effort. I cannot thank them enough.”
Additional drug arrests are also pending.
If you suspect illegal drug activity in your community, please
contact the McKean County Drug Task Force at the District Attorney’s Office at (814)887-3312 or MckeanDA.org.