September 12, 2008

Attorney General Corbett announces up to 23 arrests in "Operation Cave-in;" $1 million Venango & Mercer County meth lab organization

Rockne K. "Rocky" Barber

Roland W. Rodkey

James Lawrentz

HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that agents from the Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, along with local police officers from the Northwestern Pennsylvania Meth Task Force, are in the process of arresting 23 people charged in connection with a large-scale meth lab operation in Venango and Mercer counties.

Corbett said the investigation, known as "Operation Cave-in," focused on a sophisticated meth lab and pill-shopping operation allegedly run by Rockne K. "Rocky" Barber Sr., 62, 271 Henderson Road, Stoneboro, Venango County. 

Corbett said that Barber is accused of producing methamphetamine, using an underground lab located in a man-made cave that was hidden in a hillside near his home.  Barber and his associates are also accused of coordinating the purchase of cold medicine and other chemicals required to produce meth. 

"Using a secret underground lab and a coordinated effort to gather meth-related ingredients across the region, this drug organization produced and sold an estimated $1 million worth of meth over the past four years," Corbett said. "The message we are sending today is that law enforcement agencies across all of Northwestern Pennsylvania are united in our efforts to attacking this problem, locating these labs and shutting down the meth trade."

Corbett said that today's arrests are based on evidence and testimony presented to a statewide investigating grand jury, which recommended the criminal charges which are being filed today.

Agents from the Attorney General's Office and officers from the Northwestern PA Meth Task Force executed a search of Barber's Venango County property on April 24th, 2008, seizing a fully-operational meth lab located in a cave at the rear of Barber's home. 

Agents also seized approximately $15,000 worth of meth oil (the final production step before finished meth); an assortment of meth-related chemicals and supplies; drug packaging materials; $20,000 in cash and a stockpile of 63 weapons, including a fully-automatic machine gun.

According to the grand jury, Barber was assisted by Roland W. Rodkey, 52, RR 5 Box 422, Franklin, and James Lawrentz, 40, 119 Fairgrounds Road, Stoneboro, who coordinated efforts to obtain pseudoephedrine cold medicine from stores throughout the region. 

Barber, Rodkey and Lawrentz allegedly recruited and directed meth addicts and other addicts, also known as "pill-shoppers," to visit pharmacies on a carefully scheduled basis in order to obtain the necessary cold medicine without attracting unwanted attention.

Corbett explained that pseudoephedrine, which is a key ingredient for meth, became more difficult to obtain starting in 2006 because of a federal law (Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act) requiring those drugs to be placed behind the counter at stores and limited the daily amount of pseudoephedrine that could be purchased. 

According to the grand jury, after federal restrictions were imposed on pseudoephedrine sales, Barber allegedly instituted a policy of "no pills, no meth," refusing to supply meth to anyone unless they brought him several packages of pseudoephedrine in addition to cash.

According to the grand jury, individuals involved in the purchase, sale or distribution of meth or meth-related items, or the acquisition of meth ingredients, include Clarence "Clint" Barber, 37, 253 Henderson Station Road, Stoneboro (son of Rockne Barber); Thomas W. Beighley, 40, 3551 Sandy Lake Lebanon Road, Sandy Lake; Glen E. Bennefield, 41, 295 Patton Road, Sandy Lake; Keith A. Bence, 42, 1074 Hendersonville Road, of Stoneboro;
Dennis J. Clark, 42, 791 Orchard Road, Mercer; Machelle Lynn Hoover, 40, 24 Windsong Trail, Mercer; Constance Joy, 39, 55 Wengler Ave., Sharon; John Leroy Kellner, 44, 1749 Ray Milton Road, Polk; Steven Ray Malone, 38, 3583 Old Route 8, Polk; Ray E. McCool III, 31, 513 N. Broad St., Grove City; Shawn T. McCool, 29, 1820 Slatertown Road, Polk (brother of Ray McCool); Tracey Lynn Lewis (a.k.a. Tracey Lynn McCool), 40, Ashville, Tennessee; Michael Owens, 33, 574 Summit City Road, Kennerdell; Tracy Paglusch, 37, 360 N. Foster Road, Jackson Center; Stephen Ira Slater, 46, 590 Billy Boyd Road, Stoneboro; Ronda Claire Slater, 47, 137 Obitz Road, Sandy Lake (wife of Stephen Slater); Justin Bradley Walker, 29, of 6 West 4th St., Oil City; Amber Walker, 25, 6 West 4th St., Oil City (wife of Justin Walker and daughter of Roland Rodkey); Jodi Rae Walker, 28, 1436 Valley Road, Polk (sister of Amber Walker and daughter of Roland Rodkey); and Shawn Patrick Witherup, 48, 152 Rockland Station Road, Kennerdell.

Corbett said that Rockne K. "Rocky" Barber Sr. and James D. Lawrentz are both charged with participating in a corrupt organization, violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act; conspiracy to violate the Drug Act; violations of the Meth Precursors and Chemicals Act; and criminal use of a communications facility.

Roland W. Rodkey is charged with participating in a corrupt organization; violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act; conspiracy to violate the Drug Act; and violations of the Meth Precursors and Chemicals Act.

Corbett said that all of the other defendants are charged with criminal conspiracy to violate the Drug Act and violations of the Meth Precursors and Chemicals Act.

The criminal charges were filed today before Emlenton Magisterial District Judge Douglas Gerwick.

The defendants will be prosecuted in Venango County by Senior Deputy Attorney General Douglas J. Wright of the Attorney General's Drug Strike Force Section.

Corbett noted that this is an ongoing investigation, focusing not only on Barber's hidden meth lab and drug organization, but also the supply and flow of chemicals, cash and weapons through Northwestern Pennsylvania.  More arrests are anticipated.

Corbett thanked Venango County District Attorney Marie T. Veon and Mercer County District Attorney Richard G. Kochems for their cooperation and assistance with this continuing investigation.

Corbett also thanked the police departments from Cambridge Springs, Edinboro, Franklin, Girard, Meadville, North East, Oil City, Polk and Titusville, along with Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) from Mercer and Venango counties, the PSP SERT Team and the PSP Clandestine Lab Response Team for their cooperation and assistance.

(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)

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Clarence "Clint" Barber	Thomas W. Beighley	Glen E. Bennefield	Keith A. Bence	Dennis J. Clark
Machelle L. Hoover	Constance Joy	John L. Kellner	Steven R. Malone	Ray E. McCool III
Shawn T. McCool	Michael Owens	Tracy Paglusch	Stephen I. Slater	Ronda C. Slater
				No Photo Available
Justin B. Walker	Amber Walker	Jodi R. Walker	Shawn P. Witherup	Tracey L. Lewis