OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) — Two Oil City residents are the latest to be charged in connection with a drug ring in Venango County.

According to a criminal complaint filed at Magisterial District Judge Andrew F. Fish’s office, Henry Beichner, 43, and Carrie Ann Lavan, both of Oil City, were charged by Franklin-based State Police on Friday.

The complaint, filed by Trooper Morrison, indicates Beichner accepted deliveries of large quantities of illegal drugs at his 120 Plummer Street residence on two occasions. Beichner allegedly accepted the drugs in exchange for methamphetamine for personal use.

Beichner allegedly accepted two separate shipments of crystal methamphetamine — one on December 16, 2018, at approximately 2:17 p.m., and a second on December 21, 2018, at 1:05 p.m.

According to the complaint, Beichner had an agreement with co-defendant James Lee Kopf to receive the shipments overnight from the U.S. Postal Service in exchange for methamphetamine.

Records obtained from the U.S. Postal Service Inspector’s Office confirmed the dates and times of the shipments. Additionally, Beichner allegedly contacted the post office to check on the delivery time of at least one of the shipments.

The complaint notes that a co-defendant also confirmed through statements that Beichner had knowledge that the packages contained methamphetamine.

According to the complaint, James Kopf was observed at Beichner’s Plummer Street residence on the dates of the deliveries. At the time of the deliveries, Kopf was on state supervision and was being monitored via GPS tracking. A warrant was served through the Pennsylvania State Probation and Parole permitting access to his whereabouts.

A separate criminal complaint filed by Trooper Morrison on Friday indicates that Carrie LaVan assisted in the sale and distribution of crystal methamphetamine with co-defendants James Lee Kopf, Jeffery Scott Feely, Katharyn Dee Rivers, and Michael Joseph Poch, all of whom were previously charged.

The complaint alleges that LaVan knowingly permitted overnight shipments of crystal methamphetamine to be delivered to her residence at 120 Clearfield Street in exchange for methamphetamine for personal use.

Statements were provided to Trooper Morrison from the co-defendants confirming LaVan’s participation in the scheme. She was also observed with Feely on January 3, 2019, just prior to his arrest.

Additionally, a check of Feely’s cellphone and Facebook messenger records confirmed this activity.

Both Beichner and LaVan were arraigned Friday before Judge Fish on the following charges:

• Corrupt Organizations — Employee, Felony 1
• Conspiracy To Violate 911b1, 911b2, 911b3, Felony 1
• Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver, Felony (2 counts)
• Int. Possession of Controlled Substance By Person Not Registered, Misdemeanor (2 counts)

Preliminary hearings for Beichner and LaVan are scheduled for February 27 at 1:30 p.m. in Venango County Central Court.

Both defendants were lodged in the Venango County Jail in lieu of $75,000.00 cash bail.

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