Hanover Twp. police officer charged in drug trafficking ring
Jun. 17—Police on Thursday arrested one of their own, alleging Hanover Township Police Officer Kevin Davis used his apartment as a stash house for a large scale drug trafficking operation.
Davis, 26, of Wilkes-Barre was charged as an employee of a corrupt organization and with multiple counts of manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, marijuana and fentanyl. He was unable to post $500,000 bail set by District Justice Joseph Spagnuolo Jr. and was committed to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.
Township Manager Sam Guesto said officials are in contact with and cooperating with police about the case.
"Obviously, we take this very seriously. The integrity of the police department is Paramount to our township," Guesto said. The township will move swiftly and responsibly in the matter, he said.
The nearly 200-page criminal complaint detailed the investigation that used confidential informants to make controlled buys, monitored phone calls and set up a camera outside the apartment at 131 N. Meade St to record the comings and goings of Davis and the alleged leaders of the ring, Gerinardo Rivera and Ramon Severino Fernandez. Six other subordinate dealers were involved in the ring that dealt in the Wilkes-Barre area.
Investigators executed a search warrant at the apartment on April 22 and found an inflated plastic mattress Davis was seen carrying into the apartment a month earlier. Otherwise, there was no other evidence anyone lived there.
The complaint said investigators seized approximately 10 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, more than 2 pounds of fentanyl, more than 9 pounds of marijuana as well as packaging materials and cutting agents for illegal drugs.
They also found a camera connected to a Wi-Fi device reportedly used by the participants of the drug trafficking ring to monitor and transmit audio and video of what went on in the apartment.
The complaint said Davis identified himself as a Hanover Township police officer when he contacted the Pennsylvania State Police Stroudsburg barracks on April 13 to inquire about the status of his cousin's car that was impounded after a traffic stop on Interstate 81 in the Delaware Water Gap. The cousin was actually Fernandez, however.
State police told Davis the car was being held for a drug search because of a language barrier at the time of the stop. If someone was able to translate for his cousin, state police said they would accept consent to conduct the search.
The complaint said Davis spoke with his cousin, who told him there were no drugs to be found in the car.
The complaint added: "Davis repeated he was a police officer in Hanover Township and was not trying to affiliate with anyone involved in trouble. Davis stated since he was made aware there were no drugs involved, he didn't mind helping out, but if they found something he wanted nothing to do with it."
Davis accompanied Fernandez to the barracks to retrieve the car on April 14.
Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.
