City man arrested on drug charges

Feb 09, 2024

Aug 26, 2023

From Mirror staff reports

Altoona police responding to a report of a burglary ended up finding a stash of drugs instead.

According to court documents, Allen Lee Phelan Jr., 46, reported a burglary at his home on the 1200 block of 15th Avenue. When officers arrived, Phelan said someone broke a window between Aug. 23 and early Friday morning.

Phelan said the window was used to vent his air conditioner and police reported it didn’t appear that anyone could get into the apartment through the broken window.

As officers walked with Phelan in his apartment, police saw several cameras located throughout the residence. In addition, police saw in plain view a stamp bag of orange and yellow clonazepam pills in the hallway closet, inside an open safe on the floor. Phelan told police he stored them around the house in case he had a panic attack, court documents state, but he couldn’t produce a prescription for the pills.

In Phelan’s bedroom, police saw copious amounts of paraphernalia, including small measuring spoons with white residue, white residue on the dresser, various smoking devices and small cut straws all in plain view, the report states.

In the living room, police saw a pill bottle with an unknown white powder and metal measuring spoons with white residue, all in plain view, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Police were alerted that Phelan is a known narcotics distributor, specifically distributing xylazine and fentanyl.

He was taken into custody, and a search warrant was secured. In a search incident to arrest, police found multiple plastic bags with white residue, a vial of suspected fentanyl, two glass smoking devices and more than $500 in cash.

A search warrant turned up about 47 grams of suspected fentanyl and 71 packaged fentanyl with a street value of $25,000; about 13 grams of methamphetamine, valued at $1,300; about 20 grams of marijuana, valued at $600; nine Suboxone strips, valued at $400; 12 clonazepam pills, valued at $150; an electronic scale; packaging materials; multiple smoking devices and small glass vials.

Phelan was arraigned Friday before Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio on five felony charges of possession with intent to deliver, four misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and one misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Unable to post $50,000 bail, he was remanded to the Blair County Prison. His preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 6 before Magisterial District Judge Benjamin F. Jones.

Phelan has a previous possession with intent to deliver conviction, police stated.

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