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CLARION BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) – A Shippenville man who allegedly sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Clarion Borough faces a preliminary hearing on Tuesday morning.

Court documents a preliminary hearing for 33-year-old Kurtis Matthew Guntrum, of Shippenville, is set for 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 19, with Magisterial District Judge Jarah Lee Heeter presiding.

Guntrum faces the following:

• Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver, Felony
• Criminal Use Of Communication Facility, Felony 3
• Intentional Possession Controlled Substance By Person Not Registered, Misdemeanor

He is currently free on $15,000.00 unsecured bail.

Details of the case:

According to a criminal complaint filed by Clarion County Chief Detective William H. Peck, on April 18, 2022, CNET (Clarion County Narcotics Enforcement Team) Task Force members Peck, Wright, O’Neil, Agent Martnic, Agent Johnson, and Agent Emery conducted a controlled drug purchase of Crystal Methamphetamine from Kurtis Matthew Guntrum.

The controlled purchase was made using a Confidential Informant (CI) and Undercover Agent (UC). The purchase from Guntrum was approximately 3.5 grams of Crystal Methamphetamine in exchange for $250.00 in official BNI Funds, the complaint states.

At approximately 7:00 p.m., Task Force Members and the CI met at a secure location in the Clarion Area. TFO O’Neil searched the informant’s person and did not locate any contraband. TFO Peck provided the TFO and UC with $250.00 in official funds, the complaint indicates.

The CI was in communication with Guntrum, who instructed the CI to meet him at a trailer behind a known store on CAA Lane. The CI communicated with Guntrum via cell phone. Guntrum advised the CI that once he met up with the CI, he had to “go meet his dude,” the complaint notes.

The UC and CI left the meeting location and arrived at 7:29 p.m. in the area of CAA Lane. Guntrum and the CI then left together at 7:31 p.m., in a Jeep Cherokee bearing PA registration, leaving the UC at the trailer off CAA Lane. TFO Peck, Wright, and Johnson followed the Jeep from CAA Lane to Brownies Trailer Court in his Shippenville Lot #8, arriving at 7:46 p.m., the complaint states.

At 8:17 p.m., the Jeep leaves the trailer court in Shippenville and TFO Peck, Wright, and Agent Johnson follow the vehicle back into Clarion. The suspect vehicle turns on S. 2nd Avenue and back into CAA Lane, meeting back up with the UC at 8:29 p.m. The CI then gets back into the UC vehicle and they return to the meeting location, the complaint indicates.

The CI provided the UC with a plastic baggie of suspected Crystal Methamphetamine at 8:30 p.m. The CI is again searched by TFO O’Neil and did not possess any contraband, the complaint notes.

The CI is interviewed and related that had to drive to Shippenville to Guntrum’s residence to meet his dealer. The CI stated a vehicle pulled up and started honking the horn, and then Guntrum’s phone rang. The CI was able to view the name on Guntrum’s phone, the complaint states.

The CI stated they argued on the phone, and he told his dealer to come into the trailer. The CI stated a known male then entered the trailer and provided Guntrum with what the CI believed was a half ounce of Crystal Methamphetamine, the complaint indicates.

The CI stated that Guntrum told him the known male that entered the trailer was not his dealer, but another person he believed to be from Columbus, Ohio, the complaint notes.

The CI related he provided Guntrum the $250.00 in exchange for the plastic baggie of Crystal Methamphetamine, the complaint states.

The evidence was submitted to the Erie Regional Lab via certified mail on May 5, 2023. On October 4, 2022, a Forensic Scientist with Erie Regional Lab submitted a lab report indicating the contents contained 3.88 grams of Methamphetamine, a Schedule II Controlled Substance, the complaint indicates.