The state Attorney General’s Office has charged a Beaver County man with heading up a drug operation spanning multiple counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Korrtezz M. Martin, 34, of Rochester, was charged with racketeering, conspiracy, weapons violations, multiple counts of drug possession, manufacturing and delivery, in connection with an illegal drug ring operating between April 2023 and August 2024.

A state grand jury heard testimony indicating that Martin allegedly coordinated a distribution network for fentanyl, cocaine and crack in Beaver, Allegheny and Washington counties. Prosecutors said Martin cultivated a network of people to help him procure, store and distribute drugs.

Police conducted in-person and electronic surveillance, reviewed recorded prison phone calls, and used information gleaned from informants, traffic stops and search warrants in building the case, according to court documents.

On 16 occasions, police arranged for informants to reach out and arrange drug purchases from Martin and the network of associates they’d identified as drug runners or payment collectors, according to court records.

Police also conducted traffic stops in the spring and summer of 2023 on people who came to Martin’s house, stayed for only a few minutes and then left. Each time, they discovered drugs that the drivers said they’d just bought from Martin.

Martin was arrested in April 2024, and a subsequent search of the car he was driving yielded 951 tablets containing fentanyl and xylazine, according to court documents. Records from Martin’s phone along with other monitored phone calls and text messages revealed hundreds of conversations about drug transactions, prices, delivery locations and dollar amounts.

Investigators said many of the drug transactions were conducted using the CashApp phone app, which Martin used regularly until it was shut down in June 2023. After that, Martin used other people in his network to take payments, according to charging documents.

CashApp records showed others charged as part of the network received more than $70,000 in payments for drugs.

Martin faces 18 felony counts among the 25 total charges related to the alleged drug conspiracy.

A May 15 preliminary hearing is set in Judge Edward Howe’s Freedom court for Martin and others charged by the attorney general in connection with the conspiracy, which include:

• Chelsea L. Durr, 33, of Beaver Falls

• Daphne Scott, 53, of Beaver Falls

• Katrina M. Balser, 35, of Industry

• Jack D. Balser, 32, of Industry

• Victoria L. Jones, 31, of Pittsburgh

• Michael R. Motton, 34, of Ambridge

• Edward A. Reynolds, 33, of Pittsburgh

• Tyler C. McQuaid, 36, of Ambridge

All are charged with racketeering, conspiracy, criminal use of a phone and varying counts of drug possession or delivery.