Fifth suspect charged in Deemston drug raid
State police have charged a fifth suspect in connection with a drug raid on a Deemston house in December during an investigation into a fentanyl pipeline from Philadelphia to Washington County.
Evidence found on a suspect’s cellphone led police to charge Ricky Dale Litton, 35, of 7 Fulton St., Marianna, this week with illegally selling firearms to a convicted felon who was living in the house that was raided Dec. 8, court records show.
In the December raid, police armed with a search warrant entered 2430 Martindale Road and arrested Michael Martin, 34, of Philadelphia; Jennifer Dawn Greene, 48, who uses the Martindale Road address; and Samantha Lee Howes, 38, of Clarksville, on drug charges. Martin’s father, George A. Briggs, 54, who was living with Greene, was arrested by state police Feb. 2 on charges of delivering crack and cocaine while he was under surveillance in the Brownsville area.
Police said investigators found the Martindale Road house cluttered with small amounts of drugs, including crack and marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. A box of fentanyl patches also was seized from the residence.
District Judge Curtis Thompson signed a warrant Wednesday for the arrest of Litton, who faces three firearms violations. He had yet to be arrested on the warrant Friday.
Text messages and photographs were discovered by police on Martin’s cellphone indicating he was discussing with Litton the purchase of an AR-15-style rifle, two magazines and a silver and black handgun, police said.
Police also said Litton came Feb. 9 to the Belle Vernon barracks, where he allegedly admitted to selling the weapons to Martin in November for $1,500, despite knowing that Martin is a felon who isn’t allowed to possess guns. Martin was charged by Philadelphia police in 2005 with attempted homicide, robbery and related charges. He was found not guilty of attempted homicide, but was sentenced in July of that year to 7 1/2 years to 15 years in prison on the other charges, court records show.
Martin, Briggs, Greene and Howes are all in Washington County Jail awaiting trial.