Jan 11, 2018 2 min read

The Department of Justice said investigators executed a search warrant Wednesday at two drug treatment clinics in Washington and Bridgeville, along with a home in East Washington.

Scott Brady, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, said in a statement the searches were “part of an ongoing investigation” and the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Health and Human Services and Office of the Inspector General were involved.

Margaret Philbin, a spokeswoman for Brady’s office, declined to provide further details about the focus of the investigation.

The Redirections Treatment Advocates drug treatment clinic in Washington, which is part of a row of professional offices in the West Chestnut Place complex, was closed mid-afternoon with the blinds drawn and the doors locked.

Jennifer Hess, who identified herself as a counselor for Redirections when contacted by a reporter at the number listed for that location, said the federal agents were at the West Chestnut Street location “conducting an audit” for about two or three hours. She expected the clinic to be operating again Thursday.

Washington police Chief Bob Wilson said the federal agents contacted him about 10 minutes before the search asking that his officers assist them at the scene. They met at a nearby parking lot and went to the clinic shortly after 8 a.m., he said. Wilson did not know the reasons behind the search.

Brady said investigators also conducted a search at an address on the 100 block of Lemoyne Avenue in East Washington which records list as belonging to Hess.

Another occurred at the company’s former location at 600 Washington Ave. in Bridgeville. Police Chief Chad King said he learned of it minutes before it happened and escorted the agents to the office, which was unoccupied and hadn’t been used as a treatment clinic for at least a year.

King said before it shuttered, the clinic was one of seven drug treatments operating in the borough.

“They were looking for the office to see if there was any paperwork or records,” King said. “I don’t know what they ended up seizing.”

Redirections Treatment Advocates LLC, is listed in state records as a Delaware Corporation formed in state records in 2013.

Brady said three other locations in the West Virginia cities of Moundsville, Weirton and Morgantown were also searched Wednesday.