Bucks County DA: No bail for man charged in shooting at drug raid in Philadelphia
Bucks County DA: No bail for man charged in shooting at drug raid in Philadelphia
Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan announced the arrest and no-bail detention of a 26-year-old man accused of firing at law enforcement officers during a high-risk drug raid in Philadelphia on Jan. 15, following a lengthy investigation into a multimillion dollar drug trafficking organization.
DOYLESTOWN, Pa. - Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan announced the arrest and no-bail detention of a 26-year-old man accused of firing at law enforcement officers during a high-risk drug raid in Philadelphia on Jan. 15, following a lengthy investigation into a multimillion dollar drug trafficking organization.
Major drug raid in Philadelphia leads to arrests and gunfire
What we know:
Law enforcement from multiple agencies, including the Bucks County Detectives Drug Strike Force, Bensalem Township Police Special Investigation Unit, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, and Philadelphia Police Department, executed a search warrant at a residence on Fairdale Road in Philadelphia. Officers were met with gunfire as they breached the door, but no officers were injured and no law enforcement returned fire.
The main suspect, Nicholas Sperando, eventually surrendered and was arrested. He is being held without bail on attempted murder, attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault, and several drug-related charges, according to Khan.
The raid was the result of a months-long investigation involving multiple controlled buys from Sperando in Levittown and Northeast Philadelphia. The operation also targeted other locations, leading to the arrest of two co-conspirators and the seizure of eight firearms and $4 million in drugs.
The backstory:
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, in cooperation with the Attorney General’s Office, asserted jurisdiction over the shooting, even though it occurred in Philadelphia.
"This cowardly act against our officers was an attack on the rule of law, and our office will always protect those who risk their lives to protect us, even when that happens across county lines," Khan said.
Khan emphasized his office’s stance on bail, stating, "Defendants like this shouldn’t be allowed to buy their way out of jail, which is why our office successfully argued to have him detained in Bucks County without the possibility of posting cash bail."
Investigators recovered the pistol used in the shooting, along with other firearms, bulk marijuana, and drug proceeds from the Fairdale Road residence. Additional raids at other locations uncovered more drugs and weapons, including an AR-style rifle, a Glock handgun with an extended magazine, and a trailer filled with marijuana and THC vapes.
Law enforcement response and community impact
Dig deeper:
The operation removed eight firearms and $4 million in drugs from the streets, including 300 pounds of marijuana, 17,000 THC vapes, 80 pounds of THC concentrate, 600 bags of THC edibles, 15 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms, 75 mushroom edibles, 300 Adderall pills, and 2 ounces of cocaine. Authorities say this makes the community safer and demonstrates the value of law enforcement collaboration.
The co-defendants, David Tierney and Nicholas Keenoy, were also arrested. Tierney was held on $250,000 bail after being caught trying to flush drugs as officers arrived, and Keenoy surrendered to authorities on Jan. 27 after previously posting bail in New Jersey.
Bensalem Public Safety Director William McVey praised the officers’ professionalism, saying, "Thankfully, none of our officers were struck by gunfire that morning. Their training and professionalism led to a successful apprehension. The results of this investigation are commendable, demonstrate the value of law enforcement collaboration, and will make our communities safer."
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities continue to emphasize the dangers law enforcement faces in these operations.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released further details about potential additional suspects, the future court dates for those arrested, or whether more charges could be filed as the investigation continues.