Indiana County DA: Tip leads to one of biggest drug busts in county history

Paul Peirce, Tribune-Review, Greensburg, Pa.
·2 min read

Apr. 14—The Indiana County Drug Task Force turned a single tip from an informant this month into one of the largest heroin-fentanyl seizures in the county's history, District Attorney Bob Manzi Jr. said Tuesday.

Allan Burnheimer, 34, of Black Lick, was charged with possession of 50 bricks, or 2,500 stamp bags, of suspected heroin-fentanyl. Manzi said Burnheimer was arrested after the drugs were seized during a traffic stop along Route 22 near Blairsville last week.

Over the past six days, task force members seized $70,000 hidden inside Burnheimer's home, authorities said.

The task force is comprised of county sheriff's detectives and police from Homer City and Indiana boroughs, Manzi said. Members of the state police specialized Troop A Community Enforcement Team also participated in the ongoing investigation.

Manzi said Burnheimer admitted to investigators he purchased his home using proceeds from drug sales.

"The task force was able to take one tip from a community member and turn it into a very sizable drug bust in a matter of days," Manzi said.

"The drugs seized in this case are among the largest amounts of heroin and fentanyl mixture discovered in a county investigation. To put it into perspective, the street value of the drugs seized is approximately $25,000," Manzi said.

Burnheimer has a criminal history dating back to 2008 in Indiana, Jefferson and Westmoreland counties, according to online court records.

In Indiana County, Burnheimer pleaded guilty in 2008 to driving under the influence of alcohol and was given a six-month probation sentence; he pleaded guilty in 2013 to possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and was sentenced to one-to-two years in jail, plus one year of probation; and, in 2016, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and forgery and was sentenced to serve six-t0-12 months in jail and three years of probation.

In Jefferson County, he pleaded guilty to retail theft in 2012 and received a two-year probation sentence.

In Westmoreland County, Burnheimer pleaded guilty in 2017 to driving under the influence of a controlled substance and served about three months in jail and was placed on probation for a year.

Burnheimer was arraigned last week on charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and illegal possession of a controlled substance. He was ordered held in the county jail after failing to post $150,000 bond pending a preliminary hearing May 20.

Paul Peirce is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@triblive.com or via Twitter .