Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that collaboration with local law enforcement resulted in the recent arrest of a western Pennsylvania felon who had multiple firearms and thousands of fentanyl doses.
Ismail A. Hamlin, 28, of Clairton, is charged with numerous felonies and misdemeanors. He was arraigned Friday and denied bail due to public safety risk.
The Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, along with the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force and the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Narcotics Enforcement Team, served a search warrant last week at Hamlin’s home and found hundreds of bricks of fentanyl, firearms — including a “ghost gun” and illegal Glock switch — and cash.
“This arrest is a testament to the value of law enforcement agencies working together to remove dangerous drug traffickers, and the poisons they distribute, from Pennsylvania communities,” Attorney General Sunday said. “I commend the officers who collaborated to seize the illegally possessed firearms and ammunition, and enough fentanyl doses to inflict widespread devastation.”
Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli said: “This is proof that when law enforcement agencies collaborate together and integrate resources, we can effectuate change. It is my hope that the sheer amount of narcotics and firearms seized from this investigation will interrupt the drug trafficking in our region. I am hopeful by arresting this offender, it makes our streets safer and keeps our children out of harm’s way.”
Hamlin has prior drug-trafficking and firearms possession convictions that prohibit him from possessing firearms.
In all, throughout the investigation, officials seized 478 bricks of fentanyl — nearly 24,000 doses stamped for street sales — including 318 bricks that were seized Friday at Hamlin’s home.
A young child found at Hamlin’s home is being helped by social services.
Investigators also found at the home: 92 grams of crack cocaine, three assault rifles (one of which was a ‘ghost gun’), two Taurus handguns (one with an obliterated serial number), a Glock switch (which enables a semi-automatic handgun to be fully automatic), a large amount of ammunition, $19,677 cash.
Ghost guns are unregulated, untraceable firearms that do not have serial numbers.
Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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