Latest news with #GregNeugebauer
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Yahoo
Law enforcement, advocates say human trafficking is underreported in Cambria and Somerset Counties
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WTAJ) — Local officials say recent human trafficking cases in Cambria and Somerset counties are only a glimpse of a much larger, hidden crisis, one that often goes unreported and unnoticed. According to our media partners at the Tribune-Democrat, between 2015 and 2022, the National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 12 likely victims in Cambria County and three in Somerset County. While those numbers may appear small, law enforcement and experts caution that the actual scope is far greater. 'Frankly, we're actively investigating several cases right now,' Greg Neugebauer, Cambria County District Attorney, said. While most local cases involve sexual exploitation, he noted that labor trafficking has not been common in the area due to the lack of migrant worker populations. Notable cases in recent years include Barshay Dunbar's 2017 conviction for operating a sex ring out of a Super 8 hotel in Richland Township using Dunbar reportedly paid women in drugs. That case began when a hotel manager tipped off police. WTAJ story here: Human trafficking suspect sentenced to prison In 2022, William Warren was arrested and later pleaded guilty after law enforcement responded to a fatal overdose at his home in Stonycreek Township. Investigators determined the incident involved trafficking and drug activity. WTAJ story here: Johnstown man accused of sex trafficking next to police station Most recently, a Johnstown man was charged with multiple felonies for allegedly providing drugs to a teenage runaway and using her for sex in exchange for housing. WTAJ story here: Johnstown man accused of sex trafficking minor, threatening to kill her Johnstown Police Chief Mark Britton said the lack of reporting is not surprising, likening it to other violent and exploitative crimes where victims often remain silent out of fear or shame. Community leaders, counselors and law enforcement agree: trafficking is happening and more than most realize. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
McCormick bill aimed at stopping spread of fentanyl receives bipartisan support
(WTAJ)– First-term Senator Dave McCormick has been busy adjusting to his new job since taking office a little over two months ago. Right now he says his primary focus is making good on his campaign promise to stop the flow of fentanyl into the commonwealth and the country. The drug killed 4,000 Pennsylvanians last year and over 200 Americans each day. 'In Vietnam in 8 years of fighting, 50,000 Americans were killed,' McCormick said. 'In America last year, 100,000 died from fentanyl. Two Vietnams happened last year in America.' For that reason, he is introducing the Joint Task Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics Act of 2025. If passed the bill would improve federal coordination to go after trafficking organizations, and put pressure on China, which McCormick said plays a precursor role in the production of fentanyl. 'It starts with China, these pre-factory fentanyl ingredients that they manufacture,' McCormick said. 'The Biden administration was completely failing at dealing with that and President Trump is taking that head on.' The bill is receiving bi-partisan support in the House with three Republicans and four Democrats backing it up. In the Senate, McCormick was joined by one Republican and two Democrats, including his fellow senator from Pennsylvania, John Fetterman. 'He and I are neighbors,' McCormick said. 'We live probably 15 minutes apart, he lives in Braddock I live in Pittsburgh at Squirrel Hill. He's incredibly authentic. You just don't see that a lot with people in political life, or at least not enough of it. We'll have our disagreements but we'll focus more on where we can agree.' Bipartisan support will be important to get the bill approved which McCormick said can't come soon enough. He said the tricky part that law enforcement agencies face is that it can be cut so easily into other substances. 'Most of the people, probably the majority of people that die, particularly kids, don't even know that they are taking fentanyl,' McCormick said. 'We find it in cocaine, methamphetamines, those types of substances,' Cambria County District Attorney Greg Neugebauer said. 'We see fentanyl quite often.' Cambria County District Attorney Greg Neugebauer said that 5 years ago it was rare to have fentanyl show up in drug screenings. Now it's rare if it doesn't. 'It only takes a grain of salt amount of fentanyl to kill a fully grown adult,' Neugebauer said. 'It does not take much fentanyl to kill somebody.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
