A Centre County connection to a Pennsylvania drug operation was revealed in a five-count indictment Friday. Three men were arrested and two others were listed as fugitives on charges of distributing hundreds of kilograms of cocaine statewide.

The indictment was handed down Aug. 15 by a Harrisburg grand jury but remained sealed until Friday.

Arrested were Jose Fortoul, 25, a Venezuelan national, formerly of State College; Manual Jose Bajares, 31, a Venezuelan national, formerly of State College; and Kenneth Wion, 43, formerly of Spruce Creek.

Listed as fugitives were Dr. Jose J. Isea, 60, Caracas, Venezuela, and Guillermo Antonio Arquiades, 36, Caracas, Venezuela.

U.S. Attorney James West, noting that four of the five suspects are citizens of Venezuela, said the case demonstrates that international drug groups will penetrate even rural America.

Thomas R. Harmon, director of University Police Services, said two of Isea's daughters attended the University at various times from 1978 to 1985.

Fortoul had attended State College Area High School his senior year and graduated in 1983. Bajares attended the University from 1980 to 1982.

Other co-conspirators named in the indictment include: Clarence W. Jenkins, formerly of Tampa, Fla.; and Walter Morrison and John Cole, both formerly of Centre County.

West said Morrison cooperated with law enforcement officials in the arrests.

According to the indictment, Fortoul, Bajares, Wion, Isea and Arquiades conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, marijuana and synthetic morphine.

Isea, according to the indictment, allegedly directed the "criminal enterprise" and imported cocaine, marijuana and synthetic morphine into the United States and exported from this country to Venezuela precursors for the manufacture of synthetic morphine and cocaine.

The indictment also charges that he acted as a liaison with Colombian cocaine manufacturing organizations in Colombia, South America.

Bajares allegedly acted as senior official and comptroller for the organization, directing the activities of other co-conspirators in various parts of the United States.

The indictment alleges Fortoul managed and directed the distribution network in Pennsylvania, delivering cocaine to co-conspirators and collecting proceeds from sales of controlled substances.

If convicted, the four Venezuelans could be sentenced to a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison without parole. They also could be fined in excess of $10 million.

Wion could be sentenced up to 20 years in jail and fined in excess of $1 million if convicted.