Monessen man jailed in cocaine seizure
A Monessen man was arrested following searches of his residences that allegedly produced a large amount of cocaine and other drugs under an investigation by the state attorney general’s office.
Joshua Paul Vanhooser, 37, was taken into custody at an Elizabeth Township home where investigators claimed to have earlier seized 3 kilograms of cocaine and a large sum of money.
Also Tuesday, investigators, armed with a sealed search warrant, raided Vanhooser’s other residence at 515 Page St., Monessen, and seized more cocaine, heroin, marijuana and steroids, police said.
Investigators seized more than $22,000 from Vanhooser in the investigation that involved a confidential source, who claimed that the cocaine seized at 551 Frencik St., Elizabeth Township, could only have been place there by the suspect.
That source also claimed to have witnessed Vanhooser with more than $100,000, and said he purchased and drove vehicles that were registered under different names, police said.
Meanwhile, Vanhooser has no reported income for the past four years and was receiving welfare benefits, court records indicate.
Police said they also discovered a shotgun at the Monessen home, though Vanhooser was not allowed to have firearms because he was convicted of drug delivery in 2009.
They also seized receipts for various appliances, a title for a boat, an all-terrain vehicle and a modem for a surveillance camera system.
Vanhooser was charged with knowledge that his property was the proceeds of illegal activity, drug possession with intent to deliver, illegal possession of a firearm, marijuana possession with intent to deliver, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was sent to Westmoreland County Jail on $100,000 bond set Wednesday by Senior District Judge James Falcon.