3 Westmoreland Co. men charged accused of selling drugs and guns

A Westmoreland County man and three co-conspirators are facing weapons and drug trafficking charges following an undercover operation.

The men are accused of selling guns and heroin with fentanyl.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday’s office says David Jefferies, James Womack and Shelton Payne all have prior felony convictions prohibiting them from having firearms.

Andre Ellis-Barnes was charged with selling drugs to an undercover officer.

A statement says agents with the AG's office, Westmoreland County Drug Task Force and five police departments coordinated to make the arrests and seize more than 47-thousand doses of heroin laced with fentanyl and several high-caliber weapons.

“Fentanyl continues to fuel the opioid crisis in the Commonwealth and nationwide, and dealers use firearms to protect their lucrative trade,” Attorney General Sunday said. “The collaboration between law enforcement partners, like the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force in this case, removed thousands of doses of fentanyl and several high-caliber weapons from the Westmoreland community.”

Featured Image Photo Credit: PA AG Dave Sunday