$75G in heroin found during turnpike stop, state police say

By KIRK SWAUGER
The Tribune-Democrat

SOMERSET May 14, 2008 11:18 pm

— A Pittsburgh man is cooling his heels in the county jail after a traffic stop led to the discovery of $75,000 worth of drugs.
Authorities said they found 1,503 stamps of heroin early Wednesday hidden in a gift bag in the trunk of a car driven by Anthony Omar Turner, 27. It’s just the latest in a series of high-profile drug arrests on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Somerset County.
State police Sgt. Anthony DeLuca said he pulled over Turner’s westbound car for traveling 72 mph in a 65 mph zone during moderately foggy conditions shortly after 1 a.m. on the toll road in Stonycreek Township.
In a court document, DeLuca said he smelled a strong odor of air freshener when Turner rolled down his window, and observed a can of air freshener lying on the front seat.
Police say suspects often use air fresheners to conceal the odor of drugs.
DeLuca said Turner appeared to be nervous and said he was returning from a trip to New York.
Turner denied consent for DeLuca to search the car, but a drug dog called to the scene later “hit” on the outside of the vehicle.
After obtaining a search warrant, DeLuca said the heroin, which weighed about 1.4 pounds, was discovered in the trunk.
Turner was arraigned later in the morning by District Judge Art Cook of Somerset and sent to the Somerset County Jail in lieu of $150,000 straight bond.
“I don’t have that type of money at all,” Turner told the judge.
Turner faces charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.
“These are very, very, very serious charges,” Cook said. “It’s important that you understand that.”
The turnpike through Somerset County has been the scene of dozens of drug and weapons arrests in the past four years.