DOYLESTOWN, Pa. — Nicholas Sperando, 26, was arrested and held without bail following a high-risk drug raid in Philadelphia on January 15, after allegedly firing at law enforcement officers. The raid was the result of a months-long investigation into a multimillion-dollar drug trafficking organization.
The operation involved 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 the Philadelphia Police Department. Officers executed a search warrant at a Fairdale Road residence in Philadelphia and were met with gunfire as they breached the door. No officers were injured, and no return fire was reported.
Sperando eventually surrendered and now faces charges including attempted murder, attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault, and several drug-related offenses. He is being detained without the possibility of bail.
The investigation included controlled buys from Sperando in Levittown and Northeast Philadelphia, targeting multiple locations that led to the arrest of co-conspirators David Tierney and Nicholas Keenoy. Tierney was held on $250,000 bail after trying to flush drugs during the raid, while Keenoy surrendered on January 27.
Authorities seized eight firearms, including an AR-style rifle and a Glock handgun, along with $4 million in drugs. Confiscated items included 300 pounds of marijuana, 17,000 THC vapes, 80 pounds of THC concentrate, 600 THC edibles, 15 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms, 75 mushroom edibles, 300 Adderall pills, and two ounces of cocaine.
Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan emphasized the seriousness of the attack on law enforcement and the office’s stance on bail, stating that defendants like Sperando “shouldn’t be allowed to buy their way out of jail.” Bensalem Public Safety Director William McVey praised the professionalism of the officers, noting that their training led to a successful operation and safer communities.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to monitor the organization and assess potential threats.
