Woman Faces Conspiracy Charges in Connection with Oil City Fentanyl Bust

| May 2, 2018

OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – An Oil City woman is facing felony conspiracy charges in connection with a recent fentanyl bust that occurred in Oil City.

Court documents indicate that the Oil City Police Department filed criminal charges against 32-year-old Stephanie Renee Harris, of Oil City.

According to a criminal complaint, in April, Oil City Police Chief Wenner and Patrolman Ruditis had contact with a confidential source regarding controlled substances being brought to the Oil City and/or Venango County area from the Detroit, Michigan area.

Through the investigation, police found that Stephanie Harris conspired with James Word, Misty Unangst, another known man, and another known woman to transfer money, make travel arrangements, arrange for housing, and possess and/or sell or distribute controlled substances.

Through the execution of a search warrant, they found that Harris was operating a vehicle owned by Unangst.

Officers learned that Harris had arranged for Word to travel to the Oil City area and reside with Unangst while paying her rent and staying under the false pretense that Word was Harris’ “brother” while selling or distributing controlled substances. Harris had used Unangst’s vehicle to travel to the Erie area to pick Word up from the Greyhound bus terminal after he traveled to the Detroit area to obtain an unknown amount of controlled substances.

Patrolman Ruditis discovered that Word possessed a Greyhound bus ticket showing his travels from Detroit to Erie. An additional bus ticket was also located inside the vehicle from a prior trip to and from Detroit. The bus tickets were registered under different aliases used by Word. Also, multiple cellular phones were located and seized during the execution of the warrant.

During the search, Ptlm. Ruditis and Chief Wenner learned that Harris sent $600.00 via Western Union to a known woman associated with Word. This was discovered via a Western Union receipt located in the vehicle.

The investigation further revealed that James Word, Stephanie Harris, the known man, and the known woman had entered into a conspiracy to obtain large amounts of controlled substances and travel back to the Oil City and Venango County area and sell or distribute the substances.

Subsequent search warrants were obtained and executed on the cellular phones seized from the vehicle. The searches verified the association between all of the individuals involved, and also revealed that Harris had removed her children from the residence due to her involvement as a co-conspirator and concern over a dispute over a large quantity of drugs and a possible weapon that Word was prohibited from obtaining from the known woman’s residence in Oil City.

Based on the investigation, Harris was arraigned at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 26, in Magisterial District Judge Andrew F. Fish’s office.

She faces one count of felony conspiracy-manufacture, delivery, or possession with the intent to manufacture or deliver.

Unable to post $15,000.00 monetary bail, she was lodged in the Venango County Jail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 9, in Venango County Central Court.

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