Apr 6, 2015 3 min read

Two people were arrested Friday on drug charges by Charleroi Regional police stemming from separate incidents in North Charleroi, including one in which officers used a battering ram to enter a woman’s home so they could serve a search warrant.

Jordan Elizabeth Bercik, 33, of 716 Conrad Ave., North Charleroi, was taken into custody Friday morning after the warrant was served at her home. In the other incident, Ronald John Bock Jr., 50, of 358 E. Pike St., Houston, was arrested after police said they found him with suspected heroin and crack Friday afternoon after getting a call about a suspicious vehicle.

Chief Eric Porter said police were receiving complaints involving Bercik’s home.

“We were getting complaints about the traffic in and out of the house,” Porter said. “The people were coming and going quickly and at all hours. We started watching and got enough information for a search warrant.”

Police went to Bercik’s home about 8 a.m. Friday. Porter said police knocked and announced their presence three times before using the ram. He said it is not unusual for them to use the device when serving a warrant.

Bercik and her 15-year-old daughter were found in a bedroom. The girl was released to her grandmother. Inside the house, police said they found a pouch containing two bundles of heroin in a closet, along with $973 in a plastic bag and empty stamp bags.

Police said Bercik had three cellphones and the phones were ringing or receiving text messages, including one inquiring, “Are you good. They still at same price.” Bercik reportedly told police she was selling “money bags” She also allegedly said that she saves empty stamp bags and gives them to a woman so she can scrape heroin from the bags.

Police said Bercik also had a man’s state food assistance card. She allegedly told police he was trying to sell the card to buy heroin. Police said Bercik told them that she gets heroin in bricks of 50 stamp bags and sells a few stamp bags so she can support her habit.

Bock was arrested after police reported finding him with suspected heroin, suspected crack and paraphernalia following a report about 3:25 p.m. of a suspicious vehicle with a man who had been inside for a long time in the lot at the North Charleroi Professional Plaza.

Police said Bock was nervous, telling officers he was there to meet a friend and then was going home, then telling them he had some things to think about before going home.

Police learned he was wanted on a warrant in Allegheny County. When he was patted down, police said they found 28 stamp bags of suspected heroin and crack. Paraphernalia was found in his vehicle, police said.

Both suspects were arraigned before District Judge Gary Havelka and placed in Washington County jail on $25,000 bonds. Bercik was charged with criminal use of a communications facility and possession of heroin, marijuana and paraphernalia. Bock is charged with possession with intent to deliver heroin and possession of heroin, crack and paraphernalia. Both are scheduled for April 13 preliminary hearings before District Judge Larry Hopkins.