13 charged in shutdown of "major cocaine trafficking pipeline" from Ohio to Pennsylvania, AG says

More than a dozen people were charged, shutting down "a major cocaine trafficking pipeline" from Ohio to western Pennsylvania, authorities announced on Friday.

Thirteen people were charged with felony corrupt organizations, drug trafficking offenses and related crimes after the takedown by multiple agencies, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General said. 

Investigators said seven "upper-level dealers" from Youngstown, Ohio, trafficked cocaine and crack cocaine to Butler County, distributing the drugs directly to buyers or through intermediaries. The Butler County-based dealers were then paid in cash or drugs, prosecutors said. 

"This criminal organization made routine — sometimes daily — trips into Pennsylvania to distribute poisons into our communities," Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said. "Working with our partners, these arrests effectively shut down a major cocaine trafficking pipeline."   

The attorney general's office identified the Ohio dealers as Anthony "Ace" Chilton, Marquel "Money" Winphrie, Reinaldo Rosado Lizardi, Eddie "Ghost" Winphrie and Jumal McQueen. Two others weren't named because authorities are still looking for them. 

Jason White, Mylan Green, Daniel Morehead, Brittany Boring, Shaddi Shanaa and Donald Vargo are also facing charges, the attorney general's office said.

U.S. Marshals are helping with the ongoing efforts to take all of those charged into custody.