A southwestern Pennsylvania church festival turned into a massive drug bust this weekend, catching an Ohio University junior in a wave of arrests.
Police arrested 20-year-old Ryan Burrer at Funk Fest on Saturday while raiding the Church of Universal Love, seizing several thousand pounds of illegal drugs and arresting 23 people. They charged Burrer with misdemeanor marijuana possession and a felony trafficking charge, according to the criminal complaint.
Held on a 147-acre plot several miles south of Pittsburgh, Pa., the festival attracted between 300 and 600 people, most of whom fled to nearby woods when police arrived.
Thirty officers working with the local drug taskforce infiltrated the church at 5 p.m. on search warrant. They received the warrant after undercover agents bought illegal drugs at two previous concerts this summer.
They allegedly found Burrer holding six individually wrapped bags of marijuana, according to the complaint. Burrer pleaded not guilty at his arraignment soon after his arrest and posted $25,000 bail for his release. His next hearing was set for Aug. 13.
Burrer confirmed that he was at the festival this weekend, but declined to comment about his arrest and whether he was using drugs.
OU Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi said he had not heard of Burrer's arrest and would not pursue judicial charges against him unless Pennsylvania police reported his crime to OU. He added that the code of conduct does apply to students' actions while they are off campus.
The church's founders hold concerts to celebrate their religious beliefs and do not allow drugs into their festivals, according to the church's Web site.
Music is the universal language
which can break down the barriers of prejudice founder William Pritts wrote on the church's Web site. Music can help conscious human beings achieve their full potentials.
Pritts was at the concert during the raid, but police did not arrest him.
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Frank Thomas
