Operation Silent Night roars back with 8 arrests

Multi-agency initiative aims to curb violent crime in Coatesville

 By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times

Apprehended during “Operation Silent Night” were  Coatesville residents Courtney Miles, 60, (clockwise from top left); Kevin Ferguson, 31; Lori Fallon, 53; and Boston Peoples, 57.

A second arrest roundup through Operation Silent Night, an initiative to combat violent crime in Coatesville, was announced today by Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan.

“Operation Silent Night is keeping sustained pressure on criminals in Coatesville,” Hogan said. “We are locking up more criminals, gathering information, and we are not finished.”

This phase of the operation, launched in July in the wake of three back-to-back city homicides, included arrests primarily for alleged drug dealing, Hogan said.

Coatesville residents Bryan Lyons, 21 (clockwise from top left); Kyiera Larae James, 25; Anthony Grove, 32; and Marty Harrell, 21, were all taken into custody.

The joint operation also led to information about a defendant in the Coatesville area wanted for attempted homicide in connection with a shooting in Downingtown.  That defendant, Marty Harrell, 21, of Coatesville, was arrested as part of the operation, Hogan said.

Anthony Grove was listed as wanted and at-large when Operation Silent Night was first announced its initial wave of arrests in September.  Hogan said Chester County Detectives and the Chester County Fugitive Task Force continued to search for Grove, receiving information that he would not be apprehended without a struggle, Hogan said.

Hogan said the Chester County Fugitive Task Force, a joint operation between the U.S. Marshal Service and Chester County police, surprised Grove at a residence last week and took him into custody without incident.

Grove, 32, of Coatesville, is charged with drug offenses, fleeing and eluding, and reckless endangerment; Harrell faces a criminal attempted homicide charge, Hogan said.

Hogan said the others arrested were Courtney Miles, 60, of Coatesville, trademark counterfeiting; Kevin Ferguson, 31, Boston Peoples, 57, Lori Fallon, 53, Bryan Lyons, 21, all Coatesville residents charged with drug-trafficking offenses; and Kyiera Larae James, 25, of Coatesville, hindering apprehension of a fugitive.

A collaborative effort made the operation successful, Hogan said. Led by the Chester County District Attorney’s Office Drug Unit and Chester County Detectives, it included representatives from the Coatesville Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, and officers from the Chester County Municipal Drug Task Force (MDTF).  MDTF officers from the following police departments participated: West Goshen, Downingtown, West Chester, West Whiteland, Kennett Square, Tredyffrin, North Coventry, and Westtown-East Goshen Regional.  The Chester County Fugitive Task Force and the Western Chester County Emergency Response Team also assisted in specialized operations.

“The short-term goal of Operation Silent Night was to stem the surge of violent crime in Coatesville,” Hogan said.  “Through carefully targeted operations and teamwork among law enforcement, we succeeded.  But we need to maintain the pressure on the criminals, keeping the law-abiding citizens of Coatesville safe.”