He was the alleged leader of a local cocaine ring. Here’s how much time he’ll spend in prison

The alleged leader of a local cocaine ring pleaded guilty in Clearfield County Court on Monday.

Todd Anderson, 46, Madera, was identified as the leader of a drug enterprise that involved his wife, Catherine Anderson, her brother, Robert Gavlak II, 27, Houtzdale, his mother-in-law, Pamela Gavlak, 52, Houtzdale and his uncle, Leroy P. Bryant, 57, of Osceola Mills.

According to the findings of a grand jury, Todd Anderson obtained two ounces of cocaine two or three times a month from a contact in Beaver Falls beginning in 2014. Numerous controlled purchases of cocaine were allegedly arranged by a confidential informant who was able to buy the drug from Todd Anderson, Robert Gavlak and Catherine Anderson.

These controlled purchases began in July 2016 and ended in March 2017. Purchases were also made from Bryant in Philipsburg, according to court documents.

Todd Anderson pleaded guilty to four counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy, criminal conspiracy and criminal use of communication facility before Judge Fredric Ammerman, who sentenced him to eight to 16 years in state prison.

Although Anderson’s attorney Stephen Colafella stated that this was “not a drug organization,” a search warrant executed on Pamela Gavlak’s Houtzdale residence in March 2017 discovered 28 grams of cocaine, $2,773 in cash and checks that included money used by the informant to buy cocaine, an “owe sheet” listing people who owed Todd Anderson money, several cellphones and drug paraphernalia, according to information given to the grand jury.

Robert Gavlak told the grand jury that Todd Anderson was selling cocaine multiple times per day for the past two years. He witnessed Todd Anderson weighing the cocaine, cutting it and putting it in baggies for sale.

He also said his mother knew of the drug activity, but when Pamela Gavlak testified, she said she knew nothing about drugs in her home.

A week-long trial for Pamela Gavlak was postponed last week after a key witness had a health emergency.

The drug cases against the other co-defendants are still pending.

This story was originally published March 6, 2018 at 1:33 PM with the headline "He was the alleged leader of a local cocaine ring. Here’s how much time he’ll spend in prison."