Affidavit in Support of Criminal Complaint — No. 2:21-mj-00085 (Dkt. 3-1, W.D. Pa.)

Summary

An affidavit in support of a criminal complaint, filed January 14, 2021 as Document 3-1 (4 pages) in United States v. Darwin Parker, Magistrate No. 21-mj-85 (Case 2:21-mj-00085-PLD), in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, sworn by William Churilla, a Pittsburgh Bureau of Police detective and DEA Task Force Officer. The affiant states that the affidavit supports a complaint for violations of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), and concludes there is probable cause that Parker possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine. It is sworn by telephone before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia L. Dodge on January 14, 2021.

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         Case 2:21-mj-00085-PLD Document 3-1 Filed 01/14/21 Page 1 of 4




                        IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
                     FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA                      )
                                              )
                                              )
               v.                             )      Magistrate No. 21-mj-85
                                              )
        Darwin Parker                         )


                    AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF CRIMINAL COMPLAINT

       I, William Churilla, being duly sworn according to law, depose and state as follows:

                                       INTRODUCTION

        1.     Your Affiant, Task Force Office William Churilla, being duly sworn according to

law, aver that the following is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information and belief

and is based on personal knowledge or information provided by reliable sources.

        2.     Your Affiant is a member of both the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police (PBP) and also a

Task Force Officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). As a Pittsburgh police

officer, I am empowered under state law to make arrests for violations of state criminal laws, and

I am also empowered to execute state search warrants. As a DEA Task Force Officer, I am

empowered under federal law to make arrests for violations of federal criminal laws, and I am also

empowered to execute federal search warrants.

        3.     I have a High School Diploma, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology and

Business Management from Duquesne University. After my 1988 graduation from Duquesne

University, I worked for approximately 5 years with juveniles adjudicated of crimes at the

Allegheny Academy Juvenile Facility. In 1997, I began to work full-time as a police officer for

the City of Pittsburgh. I spent the first several years as a patrol officer in the Zone 2 section of
         Case 2:21-mj-00085-PLD Document 3-1 Filed 01/14/21 Page 2 of 4




Pittsburgh which encompasses neighborhoods including the Hill District. I remain employed with

the PBP and became a Detective in approximately 2007.

        4.       In 2013, I was assigned to Narcotics and Vice where I primarily investigated drug

and firearm offenses. I have purchased drugs including marijuana, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl in

an undercover capacity on many occasions and have been involved as a back-up officer in many

undercover purchases by other officers. I have been involved in numerous controlled purchases,

of various types of drugs, by cooperating individuals. I have obtained numerous search warrants

regarding drug and firearm violations and have been involved in numerous similar search warrants

obtained by my fellow police officers.

       5.        I have been asked to render an expert opinion on many occasions regarding whether

various circumstances show that drugs were possessed for distribution, as opposed to personal use.

I have been qualified and testified as a narcotics expert in court more than a dozen times, including

in federal court. My relevant trainings include the initial Pittsburgh Police Academy training, as

well as the “Top Gun” Narcotics Investigation course, Pennsylvania Electronic Surveillance “A”

certification training, ATF “Characteristics of Armed Individuals” training, and interrogation and

interview training. My drug and firearm experience comes from working not only with many other

members of the PBP, but with numerous other local, state and federal investigators including the

ATF, FBI and DEA. have been involved in over 1000 arrests in my career, many involving guns,

drugs or both.

       6.        Your Affiant has reviewed information obtained from law enforcement and

commercial databases, and has discussed this case with, and reviewed the reports of, other law

enforcement officers who have been involved in this investigation or who have investigated the

subjects of this investigation and their associates in the past.
           Case 2:21-mj-00085-PLD Document 3-1 Filed 01/14/21 Page 3 of 4




        7.      As a TFO with the DEA, your Affiant knows that Title 21, United States Code,

Section 841(a)(1) prohibits the possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance,

including cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

        8.      This Affidavit is submitted in support of a criminal complaint for Darwin Parker

(hereinafter, “Parker”) for violations of Title 21 United States Code. §§ 841(a)(1) and

841(b)(1)(C).

        9.      Because this Affidavit is being submitted for the limited purpose of supporting

probable cause to arrest as stated herein, I have not included each and every fact known to me

concerning this investigation.

                                  FACTUAL BACKGROUND

        10.     On January 13, 2021, at approximately 1442 hours, Detective Nathan Dettling with

the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, along with his partners where in the area of the 7200 block

of Frankstown Avenue for the detection of open air drug sales.

        11.     Detectives observed Parker outside of Adan Market involved in an exchange with

an unidentified female. Parker was observed reaching his hand into his jacket pocket, removing

an item, and displaying it to the unidentified female. From his vantage point, Detective Dettling

was immediately able to identify the item removed from Parker’s pocket to be a single knotted bag

of crack cocaine. Parker was observed dropping the crack cocaine into the unidentified female’s

hand.

        12.     Parker then entered the Quick Pick store located at 7201 Frankstown Avenue and

was followed into the store by detectives. After a struggle with detectives, Parker was taken into

custody.

        13.     A search of Parker revealed a large bag of crack cocaine (which was field tested

and confirmed to be crack cocaine), two bundles of suspected heroin/fentanyl stamped
           Case 2:21-mj-00085-PLD Document 3-1 Filed 01/14/21 Page 4 of 4




“McClaren”, seven individually knotted bags of suspected crack cocaine, ten loose stamp bags of

suspected heroin/fentanyl, two bricks of suspected heroin/fentanyl, a torn brick wrapper, and

$1,240 United States Currency. Additionally, multiple knotted bags of suspected crack cocaine

were recovered from the same jacket pocket from which Parker was previously observed removing

crack cocaine and delivering it to the unidentified female.

          14.    Through your Affiant’s training and experience, and through consultation with

other law enforcement officers, I believe that Parker possessed the above-mentioned cocaine with

the intent to distribute rather than for personal use based on the quantity, presence of packaging

materials, large amount of United States currency, and observed drug transaction.

          15.    WHEREFORE, based on the foregoing, your Affiant respectfully submits that there

is probable cause to conclude that Parker possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine,

in violation of Title 21 United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), and that the

foregoing demonstrates probable cause for the issuance of a criminal complaint.

          The above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and

belief.

                                              /s/ William Churilla________________
                                              William Churilla, Task Force Officer,
                                              Drug Enforcement Agency



Sworn and subscribed before me, by telephone
pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 4.1(b)(2)(A),
this 14th day of January 2021.



_______________________________
PATRICIA L. DODGE
United States Magistrate Judge


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