Greensburg police seize more than 2,000 doses of heroin, $1,300

Greensburg police Capt. Robert Stafford had to eat his soup at his desk Wednesday, as drugs and cash covered the station's lunchroom table.

Officers were tallying up the seizure of more than 868 stamp bags of heroin and enough raw heroin to make about 1,500 more Tuesday evening.

Julius Lancelot Smith, 26, had two children — ages 2 and 4 — in his truck when he was arrested after a traffic stop about 7 p.m. Tuesday.

"This isn't your normal street-level user," said police Chief Chad Zucco. "He was a supplier to other dealers. That's big."

Police said Smith has a Washington address, but at his arraignment Wednesday, Smith said he lives in Greensburg.

After receiving a tip that Smith was regularly delivering large amounts of drugs to a local dealer, police kept an eye out for about two weeks and spotted Smith driving on South Main Street with a broken taillight and dark-tinted windows Tuesday evening, according to Patrolman Henry Fontana Jr.

"They followed up on this for the last two weeks until they could actually get him," Zucco said.

When police searched Smith's car during a traffic stop on South Main, a K9 indicated there were drugs in the truck, and a search turned up 4 grams of crack cocaine and a locked safe.

Police arrested Smith, who was wanted on 29 traffic-related warrants, and obtained a warrant to search the safe.

Inside they found the heroin along with a bag of unidentified white powder, empty stamp bags, stamps, scales, a small amount of marijuana and more than $1,300.

At his arraignment before District Judge James Albert, Smith said his taillight was not broken and that police didn't have the right to pull him over.

"The cops did me dirty last night," he said. "There's nothing wrong with my truck."

His bail was set at $300,000.

He is charged with manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility, endangering the welfare of children, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and four summary traffic violations, including driving with a suspended license.

Zucco said he's hopeful the arrest will put a dent into the supply of heroin coming into Greensburg.

Jacob Tierney is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-6646, jtierney@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Soolseem.