3 accused of dealing drugs jailed
Talbert Eugene Hill-El
Jose N. Alicea
Douglass Ray Holloway
Three men, including two from Philadelphia wanted on warrants obtained earlier this week, were arraigned Thursday and placed in Washington County jail for their alleged roles in bringing large quantities of heroin to Washington County.
Talbert Eugene Hill-El, 36, and Jose N. Alicea, 35, both of Philadelphia, and Douglass Ray Holloway, 31, of Pittsburgh, were arraigned Thursday night before District Judge Joshua Kanalis on charges of possession and possession with intent to deliver heroin and placed in Washington County jail on $250,000 bonds. The Philadelphia men also are charged with criminal use of a communications facility.
Hill-El and Alicea are accused of supplying Joseph Rasel, 55, of North Franklin Township with an estimated 30,000 to 36,000 stamp bags of heroin between April and November of last year. Members of the state police vice unit and Washington County Drug Task Force served a warrant to search Rasel’s home Nov. 18. They said they found a “significant quantity” of heroin indicative of distribution, along with paraphernalia, money and a cellphone.
Rasel allegedly told investigators he made at least 15 trips to the eastern part of the state, purchasing the heroin from Hill-El through Alicea. Rasel allegedly agreed to make a controlled buy with the two in December. All three were taken into custody during a “buy-bust” operation, and police said they seized almost 1,400 stamp bags of heroin. Rasel will be charged later.
Holloway was arrested Thursday after a traffic stop on southbound Toll 43 in Union Township. A trooper stopped the car near the Finleyville exit for an equipment violation. The windows were tinted dark, and the trooper was unable to see inside the vehicle.
The trooper asked Holloway to get out of the vehicle and issued him a warning. The trooper reportedly saw indications of criminal activity in the vehicle and said Holloway was behaving suspiciously. Holloway reportedly gave police permission to search his vehicle. Police said a gym bag found on the floor behind the passenger seat held about 55 bricks containing about 2,740 stamp bags of suspected heroin.
Hill-El and Alicea are scheduled for a Feb. 1 preliminary hearing before District Judge Robert Redlinger. Holloway’s preliminary hearing is planned for Feb. 2 before District Judge James Ellis.