Somerset woman, Swansea man arrested on fentanyl distribution charges

SOMERSET — Chief George McNeil reports that the Somerset Police Department arrested a man and woman and charged them with dealing fentanyl Wednesday afternoon, April 29.

At approximately 4:36 p.m. on Wednesday, a Somerset Police officer was conducting traffic enforcement on High Street, near School Street, when he clocked a driver going 42 miles per hour in a 30 miles per hour zone.

The officer pulled out onto the road to catch up to the vehicle and observed the driver turn down Dublin Street without using a turn signal. The officer followed as the driver then quickly turned down a long driveway stopping outside of a home.

The officer followed the vehicle down the driveway. It was later determined that Tyler Devoll Jr, 31, of Swansea and Ashley Cottrell, 31, of Somerset, who were in the parties in the vehicle, did not know the people whose driveway they pulled into.

While speaking with the occupants of the vehicle, a Somerset Police detective notified the officers on scene that they had recently received information that Devoll and Cottrell were allegedly actively selling narcotics in town. It was also discovered that Devoll had an active warrant for his arrest.

Officers observed drug paraphernalia in plain sight on the lap of Devoll.

Through the subsequent investigation Devoll and Cottrell were placed under arrest. In searching the vehicle, officers located and seized fentanyl, cocaine, adderall, gabapentin, clonazepam, a digital scale, drug paraphernalia and $1,129.51.

“This was great work by our officers who were able to get these drugs off the streets by means of a routine traffic stop,” Chief McNeil said. “Both of these parties are known to police here in town and this was the second drug bust by our officers in the span of a few days. Great work all around.”

Devoll was charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class A Drug (Fentanyl), Possession of a Class B Drug (Cocaine), Possession of a Class C Drug (Clonazepam), and Possession of a Class E Drug (Gabapentin).

Cottrell was charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class A Drug (Fentanyl), Possession of a Class B Drug (Cocaine), Possession of a Class B Drug (Adderall), Speeding, and Failure to Use a Turn Signal

Both are expected to be arraigned today.