All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

Eleventh person allegedly connected to Cooper Street drug operation arrested Friday

Weese

BUCKHANNON – A Buckhannon woman was the 11th person arrested in connection with the June 5 drug bust at a Cooper Street house.

Shirley Weese, 27, of Buckhannon was arrested Friday, June 19, for conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver controlled substance and violating the Anti-organized Criminal Enterprise Act, all felonies.

According to criminal complaints in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by investigating officer Cpl. Marshall O’Connor with the Buckhannon Police Department, on Friday, June 5, officers with the Mountain Lakes Drug and Violent Crime Unit, Buckhannon Police Department, Upshur County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia State Police served a warrant at 12 Cooper Street in Buckhannon.

At the time of service, nine people were detained and identified as tenants of the address.

However, the police report says Weese was not home but allegedly participated in drug-related transactions.

According to the report, upon completion of the search, officers located multiple scales with white residue along with multiple unused plastic bags, vials and containers commonly used to package, house and transport-controlled substances. Officers also located multiple small sealed bags of methamphetamine, one large bag of methamphetamine, multiple bags of marijuana, multiple unidentified pills and more.

The file says officers located what they believed to be a ledger used to document drug transactions along with U.S. currency.

Based on the evidence obtained along with the information received from multiple sources, all 11 people allegedly conspired and engaged together in the distribution of controlled substances “at a location that has a documented history of complaints exceeding the six-month time frame needed for the Anti-Organized Criminal Enterprise Act,” the complaint says.

The evidence reportedly includes statements from multiple complaints which describe to and from traffic, a common occurrence when drugs are being distributed from a residence. Additionally, these statements are supported by messages obtained from seized cellphones, the police report says.’

Bail was set at $25,000 for conspiracy, $25,000 for possession with intent to deliver controlled substance and $25,000 for violating the anti-organized criminal enterprise act.

If convicted, Weese faces confinement in the penitentiary for not less than one nor more than five years, a fine of not more than $10,000 or both for conspiracy. If convicted of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, she would also face confinement for not less one year nor more than five years, a fine of up to $15,000 or both. She also faces confinement for not more than 10 years or a fine of not more than $25,000 if convicted of violating the Anti-organized Criminal Enterprise Act.

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