An East Pittsburgh McDonald's employee reportedly sold heroin in Happy Meal boxes through a drive-through window of a company restaurant according to information from the Allegheny County District Attorney's office WTAE reported Wednesday.
Shantia Dennis, 26 an East Pittsburgh resident was charged with possession, delivery and possession with intent to deliver according to the complaint WTAE reported.
Dennis reportedly put $2 in the cash register and another $80 in her bra while completing the exchange according to police WTAE reported.
Police found 10 bags containing heroin in a happy meal box, and 50 from Dennis according to Allegheny County District Attorney's office spokesman Mike Manko WTAE reported.
The Allegheny County District Attorney Narcotics Enforcement Team received information from an insider about and arranged the transaction at the Penn Avenue restaurant according to Manko WTAE reported.
"The way that the deals would happen is that the customer looking for heroin was instructed to go through the drive-through and say I'd like to order a toy," Manko told WTAE. "The customer would then be told to proceed to the first window where they would be handed a happy meal box containing heroin," Manko told WTAE. "The customer would pay for the transaction at the first window and leave without having to stop at the second window. It is unknown at this point how long this process had been going on or how many like transactions may have taken place prior to today," Manko told WTAE.
"As an employer and a member of the community, the safety of our guests and employees is our first priority," Iftikhar Malik owner of the McDonalds said in a statement WTAE reported. "The allegations related to this employee do not represent acceptable behaviors and are not consistent with our values," Malik said in a statement WTAE reported. "As such, we take these charges very seriously and we are fully cooperating with the authorities. We are also conducting our own thorough internal investigation," Malik said in a statement WTAE reported. "For additional information, please contact the local authorities."
The incident is the second case involving McDonald's and heroin in Pennsylvania in January.
Theodore Levon Upshaw was charged with possession of heroin, possession with intent to deliver, and delivery of heroin for his role in selling the drug a McDonalds and the location's parking lot on route 22 in Pittsburgh Jan. 15 WTAE reported.
