Four people have been jailed after a huge heroin bust in Elk County last Thursday, when police seized 38 bricks of heroin, nearly $15,000 in cash and more from two St. Marys homes.
John Pistner, 23, Kimberly Gier, 29, and John Gier, 29, all of St. Marys, and Johnna Borrello, 27, of Kersey, were all arraigned last week and sent to jail in lieu of bail.
According to criminal complaints filed in the cases, in August, the Pennsylvania attorney general’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation received information regarding the alleged trafficking of heroin by Pistner in the Elk County area. The information indicated heroin was being sold from multiple locations, including Pistner’s apartment at 620 Pontzer Ave. and at the garage of his mother’s residence at 642 S. Michael St.
Upon further investigation, officers learned Pistner’s long-term girlfriend, Kimberly Gier, was allegedly involved. Police said she lived with Pistner, and three young children lived with them. John Gier and Johnna Borrello were identified as well.
Detective Gregg McManus with the Elk County district attorney’s office obtained two search warrants, which were served Thursday at the South Michael Street and Pontzer Avenue locations.
Inside the garage at the South Michael location, “officers seized approximately 38 bricks of heroin, methamphetamine, individually packaged marijuana, assorted drug paraphernalia and $14,770 in U.S. currency,” criminal complaints stated.
Inside the garage when police arrived were Pistner, John Gier and Borrello, along with a fourth person police didn’t name. Criminal complaints alleged that each person had drug paraphernalia in their possession, and Borrello had 2.5 bundles of heroin in her possession.
“Several cell phones were also seized, all of which appeared to be contacted while officers were on scene,” the complaints stated.
The second warrant was served at the Pontzer Avenue residence, and Kimberly Gier was found at that location. Police seized 3.5 bundles of heroin, drug paraphernalia, plastic bags with white powder and $5,289 from the apartment, the complaints allege. Gier’s infant child was with her in the apartment at the time as well.
Police said Pistner, Kimberly Gier, John Gier and Borrello conspired to deliver heroin throughout the Elk County area, the complaints stated.
Pistner is charged with three counts of possession with the intent to deliver and one count of conspiracy to deliver, all felonies; dealing in proceeds of unlawful actions, a first-degree felony; criminal use of a communication device and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, third-degree felonies; and three counts each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors.
He was arraigned Friday before District Judge Mark Jacob and jailed in lieu of $100,000 bail. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 9:15 a.m. Feb. 13 before Jacob.
Kimberly Gier is charged with four counts of possession with intent to deliver, all felonies; two counts of endangering the welfare of children, second-degree felonies; two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors.
She was arraigned Thursday before on-call District Judge Barry Brown and remanded to jail in lieu of $30,000 bail. She is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. Feb. 13 before Jacob.
John Gier and Borrello are both charged with four counts of possession with intent to deliver, all felonies; two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors.
Both were arraigned before Brown on Thursday. He was committed to jail in lieu of $50,000 bail, while she was jailed in lieu of $30,000 bail. Both are scheduled for hearings before Jacob on Feb. 13.
