While operating a shop in State College called Altered State, Jeremy Baney and Linda Hartz were allegedly involved with the distribution of $3 million of marijuana in central Pennsylvania, the state Attorney General's Office said yesterday.

"This was a very significant marijuana trafficking operation, particularly in north central Pennsylvania," Kevin Harley, deputy press secretary of the attorney general's office said.

Yesterday, the state announced the breakup of the ring through which five men and three women allegedly distributed drugs. The Bureau of Narcotics has tracked down seven of the eight suspects who face charges, including possession with intent to deliver, money laundering and corrupt organizations, according to a press release from the attorney general's office.

If convicted on all charges, Baney, 30, could face up to 871 years and Hartz, 25, could have a maximum penalty of 326 years imprisonment, according to the release.

Locally, Jamie Corl, 25, of Bellefonte was also listed as a suspect.

The group is allegedly responsible for bi-weekly distributions of 20 to 60 pounds of the drug from 1997 until September 2001. Drug couriers reportedly brought the drug from New York to Clinton, Lycoming and Centre counties, the release said.

Baney is suspected of bringing more than 2,200 pounds of marijuana into central Pennsylvania, Harley said.

In State College, Altered State, formerly located on East Beaver Avenue, was a store known for selling marijuana paraphernalia. It was one of two "head shops" that Baney and Hartz allegedly ran. The two left the central Pennsylvania region in September when a series of search warrants were executed in investigating this drug ring, the release said.

Harley said the local store was in existence from 1999 to 2000. The store's closing, Harley said, did not necessarily indicate that the drugs stopped being trafficked into State College.

"That doesn't mean that marijuana wasn't making its way into Centre County. It was," Harley said.

While Baney is accused of drug sales dating back to 1997, investigators believe he was trafficking most frequently from 1999 to 2001, Harley said.

"We allege that he formed a criminal enterprise," Harley said.

The suspects and their attorneys could not be located for comment yesterday.