Another Day, Another Drug Raid – this Time in South Renovo

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SOUTH RENOVO — For the second time in 48 hours a law enforcement unit has carried out a drug raid in western Clinton County. The most recent raid occurred this afternoon at 401 Pennsylvania Avenue in South Renovo and resulted in the apprehension of Robert Werts.

The raid was similar to one conducted Tuesday on Delaware Avenue in the eastern end of Renovo. A witness told therecord-online that a SWAT-like team “just burst out of their vehicles and went up the street with a battering ram and broke the door down.”

The South Renovo home was occupied by Werts who was placed in handcuffs. A woman at the same address was initially cuffed but the witness said she was later freed by police and went and stood across the street.

There was no immediate word on the disposition of Werts. The residence where the raid was conducted is co-owned by Werts and Carolyn Halter. They had purchased it in 2007 for $30,000, according to records at the Clinton County Court House.

Today’s raid was the same as one carried out in the eastern end of Renovo on Tuesday. That strike force effort of state and Renovo police saw the arrest of Michael Stevens, 45. Stevens is now free on bail following his arrest earlier this week, charged with trafficking in the sale of cocaine.

Stevens had been taken into custody after the police raid at his Delaware Avenue home. He subsequently was charged with four counts of manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver cocaine. Stevens was arraigned before District Judge Frank Mills and committed to the Clinton County Correctional Facility in default of $50,000; he later posted bail.

An affidavit of probable cause alleges Stevens on two separate occasions in February of this year sold crack cocaine to confidential informants and accompanying state police officers.

The police raids follow recent concerns from a Renovo group, PRR, to the Clinton County Commissioners, for assistance in addressing what they said is a drug problem in the western end of the county.

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