19 Arrested In Drug Trafficking Ring Operating Out Of Bucks Co.

DOYLESTOWN, PA — The Bucks County Detectives Drug Strike Force and the Quakertown Borough Police Department have dismantled a multi-county corrupt organization responsible for flooding regional streets with fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Following a long-term investigation that involved a number of law enforcement partners and a Bucks County Investigating Grand Jury, authorities announced the arrest of 19 individuals on Monday connected to the "Finlan Drug Trafficking Organization." The criminal network, which operated under the guise of a local landscaping business, has been linked to a series of violent crimes, illegal firearms sales, and the tragic overdose deaths of two local residents, investigators say.

The investigation revealed that the organization used Contemporary Gardens, a business located in Perkasie, as a strategic base of operations to facilitate its illicit trade. From this hub, the syndicate’s influence stretched across Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh, and Philadelphia counties.

“The dismantlement of this organization sends a clear message that we will not tolerate those who poison our communities and traffic illegal firearms in Bucks County,” Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan said. “By leveraging the power of the Grand Jury and our Drug Strike Force, we have severed a major regional supply chain and held those responsible for the tragic loss of life accountable for their actions.”

Investigators uncovered what they called "a disturbing cycle of criminality" where members would burglarize residential homes to steal firearms, only to trade those weapons for narcotics or sell them to individuals legally prohibited from owning guns.

Prosecutors say evidence presented to the Grand Jury directly linked Shana Finlan and Debbie Booth to the fatal overdose of Kenneth Klingman in Center Valley, while Anthony Rola is identified as the source of the lethal drugs that claimed the life of Justin DiDonato in Sellersville.

By mapping the tragedies back to the source, prosecutors said they were able to secure charges of drug delivery resulting in death against the primary figures. The dismantlement of the group marks a major victory in the county's ongoing battle against the opioid and methamphetamine epidemics.

The 19 defendants include Shana Finlan, Ivan Freeman, David Gowen, Jessica Lerner, Elizabeth Fox, Joseph Sharon, Jason Hill, Jolene Valencia, Corey Dick, Matthew Holtzhafer, Damien Geissler, Matthew Kuhnle, Jeffrey Cooper, Matthew Cooper, Travis Hoover, Antonino Indelicato, Lynda Jones, Anthony Rola, and Debbie Booth. Hill was the last of the defendants to be arraigned.

On Thursday, Magisterial District Judge Lisa Gaier set his bail at $350,000, 10 percent. Hill was recently convicted in Montgomery County and sentenced to a lengthy prison term in a separate case for the sexual assault of a minor.

The charges leveled against the 19 defendants are extensive, with several felony counts of corrupt organizations, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, person not to possess a firearm, burglary, illegal sale or transfer of firearms, criminal conspiracy, theft and receiving stolen property. Finlan and Rola both face charges of drug delivery resulting in death and involuntary manslaughter related to the overdose deaths of the two victims.

Each individual played a specific role in the supply chain, from bulk sourcing in urban hubs to street-level distribution in the Upper Bucks region, prosecutors said.

The Grand Jury received and reviewed extensive evidence, including testimony from multiple law enforcement detectives and officers from local, county, and regional agencies, along with sworn testimony from numerous civilian witnesses. Witness testimony provided detailed information, including the reported sourcing of large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from sources outside of Bucks County, and the connection between the drug trade and illegal firearms activity, including the possession and sale of stolen or illegally acquired weapons.

Law enforcement officers scoured tens of thousands of digital records, hours of intercepted communications, and conducted numerous undercover controlled purchases to bring the charges, prosecutors said.

Under the direction of Deputy District Attorney Christopher Rees and Deputy District Attorney Chad Kovack, the case will now move toward formal prosecution.

While the arrests represent a "significant milestone," prosecutors said the investigation remains active as authorities continue to scrutinize the digital and financial records of the organization to ensure every facet of the criminal enterprise is permanently closed