A 26 year-old Philadelphia man has been charged with two counts of the attempted murder of a law enforcement, two additional counts of attempted murder, six counts of aggravated assault and multiple felony counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance by Bucks County Detectives and Bensalem Police.
Nicholas Sperando who fired gunshots at authorities on Jan 15 during the execution of a search warrant at his Philadelphia home – and two alleged stash houses where he kept millions of marijuana was taken into custody.
District Judge Terrence Hughes arraigned Sperando on the charges Jan 15. He was denied bail with prosecutors calling him a “Major Danger to Society” in court papers.
Both men are scheduled to appear in hearings today ( Jan. 27) in district court in the Levittown section of Bristol Township.
Hughes set bail for Tierney at 10 percent of $250,000.00 and he was remanded to Bucks Count Correctional on felony drug distribution offenses and related offenses. Tierney was located at second stash house location when authorities showed up with search warrants, subsequent to three controlled drug buys made by investigators using a confidential informant in Sept of 2025, North Philadelphia, December 2025, in Levittown, and a third “controlled buy” again in North Philadelphia during the week of Jan 12, 2026, according to the probable cause.
Each of the “buys” was set up through a unspecified social media, investgators wrote in court papers.
The CI was provided US currency of an unspecified amount for each transaction and was searched before and after each transaction for contraband in which the CI turned up “clean,” according to police.
The marijuana allegedly recovered, after each transaction was sent to NMS Labs for analysis which showed, according to testing, was positive for marijuana Delta-9-THC.
Bucks County Detectives initiated the investigation into Sperando and Tierney in late 2025, according to court records.
After the third controlled buy from Sperando, the detectives prepared three search and seizure warrants for addresses affiliated with Sperando which were signed by a Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge. These addresses were all in Philadelphia; 1216 Day Street, 9207 James Street and 3819 Fairdale Road.
Credit: Google Maps
On Thursday January 15, 2026 at approximately 6:03 a.m. Narcotics Agents from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Troopers from the Pennsylvania State Police, Philadelphia Police Department, Detectives from the Bucks County Detectives and Officers and Detectives from the Bensalem Township Police arrived at 3819 Fairdale Road to execute a search warrant at the residence.
Authorities participating in the execution of the search warrant were wearing ballistic body armor with marking clearly identifying them as law enforcement officers. Troopers and BNI Agents made the approach and began announcing the presence of law enforcement and that they had a search warrant. Members of Bensalem Township Police and Bucks County Detectives established the side and rear containment as the residence is a corner property surrounded by a white vinyl fence. The first two
law enforcement officers to the door of the residence of 3819 Fairdale Road was Pennsylvania State Trooper Robert Beyer and Narcotics Agent Stephen Kelhower. Trooper Beyer was equipped with the ram and Kelhower was equipped with a ballistic shield. After announcing their presence at the door and receiving no response, Trooper Beyer began to ram the front door of the residence.
After hitting the door several times while still announcing. While ramming the door which did not open, a gun shot was heard from inside the residence. Authorities retreated from the threshold of the door. Troopers and Agents continued to announce their presence and that they were there with a warrant when another shot rang out from inside less than a minute after the first shot. law enforcement retreated and established a perimeter and continued to call the defendant out of the residence. After approximately five to eight minutes of hailing, Sperando opened the garage door and was taken into custody by
Narcotics Agents and State Troopers. Law enforcement officers entered the residence and cleared the property. Sperando was the only person in the residence, according to court records.
Credit: Bucks Co DA’s office
After securing the property, search warrants were eventually executed at the residence for evidence of the shooting and narcotics. During the search a FN Herstal 5.7 was located in the front bedroom on a shelf above the headboard with a live round sticking out of the chamber in what is commonly known as a “stove pipe” malfunction.
Detectives also located one fired 5.7 cartridge casing on the steps, once live 5.7 round on the steps, and one fired 5.7 cartridge casing in the left rear room considered the workout room. There was a hole in the wall towards the adjoining neighbors home as well a hole through the main door then through the storm door about halfway down the door. Detectives and agents also recovered bulk United States Currency, an AR style rifle, one 9mm Glock Handgun with an extended magazine, bulk marijuana, a vacuum sealer, a money counter along with other paraphernalia
and other various items.
Day Street Location Credit: Google Maps
On this same date at approximately 6:03 a.m., a search warrant was also executed at 1216 Day Street, a known stash location of Sperando’s. During a search of this location, Tierney, was located in the upstairs living area. Tierney began running toward the rear bathroom and was observed attempting to flush pills and a white powdery substance, suspected to be cocaine, into the toilet. Tierney was subsequently taken into custody without incident.
While securing the residence, BNI Agents located and cleared the 2018 Ram Van bearing Pennsylvania plate along with a 2018 Carmate trailer attached both are registered to a Sperando family member at a different Fairdale Road residence. While clearing the trailer, detectives and agents located large amounts of what appeared to be suspected marijuana and THC vape cartridges, authorities said in court papers.
Once the structure was secure, a systematic search of the residence resulted in the recovery of a large quantity of suspected vegetable marijuana, THC vape devices, assorted drug paraphernalia, United States Currency, and ledgers. The vacuum sealed bags of marijuana were out in plain view on the second floor. Additionally, a black Glock 43X 9mm firearm, loaded with nine rounds of ammunition, was located underneath a pillow on the bed where Sperando’s personal property was found.
The same day a third search warrant was executed at 9207 James Street, Sperando’s place of work.
Detectives located bulk marijuana, a money counter, a snub nosed Mossberg pump shotgun, a Ruger .380 handgun, psilocybin mushrooms to include edibles, boxes and cans of ammunition, THC extracts, owe sheets and pricing guides for marijuana, numerous firearm accessories to include a drum magazine, a digital scale and various other items of drug paraphernalia.
James Street location Credit: Google Maps
All of the recovered items were documented, seized and transported back to the Bucks County Evidence Warehouse. The suspected narcotics will be sent to NMS Labs for analysis.
At 1 pm today Bucks County District Attorney Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan, was joined by Bensalem Police Township Public Safety Director William McVey and other law enforcement partners.
The investigation successfully removed $4 million in controlled substances from the streets authorities say.
“This cowardly act against our officers was an attack on the rule of law, and our office will always protect those who risk their lives to protect us, even when that happens across county lines,” said Khan. “Defendants like this shouldn’t be allowed to buy their way out of jail, which is why our office successfully argued to have him detained in Bucks County without the possibility of posting cash bail.”
A third target of the investigation, not mentioned in court papers obtained by Lower Bucks Source on Jan 16, Nicholas Keenoy, surrendered to authorities Tues) Keenoy was previously arrested in New Jersey on an outstanding warrant but was released by that state after posting cash bail prior to his extradition to
In total, the investigation removed eight firearms and $4 million worth of drugs from the streets, including 300 pounds of marijuana and 17,000 THC vapes. Other drugs included 80 pounds of THC concentrate, 600 bags of THC Edibles, 15 pounds of Psilocybin Mushrooms, 75 Psilocybin Mushroom Edibles, 300 Adderall pills, and 2 ounces of Cocaine
Sperando is represented by Gregory Joseph Pagano, Esq according to court records.
Tierney is represented by Parlow & Lang, LLC out of Bensalem
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