Greensburg homeless shelter resident accused of selling drugs

Greensburg police arrested a man living at the Safe Harbor homeless shelter last week for allegedly selling drugs.

John E. Pezze, 55, is charged with the manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

He was caught in a sting operation using an undercover informant in a joint investigation by Westmoreland County detectives and city police

“We'd heard (Pezze's) name several times from other individuals, that he could be the source of controlled substances coming into the shelter and around the shelter,” said county Detective Tony Marcocci.

Pezze has been a resident at the shelter for some time, Marcocci said.

An informant told police that Pezze was selling heroin.

Police and detectives set up an undercover drug purchase Tuesday afternoon. The informant met Pezze outside the homeless shelter, while Marcocci watched from a distance. Pezze told the informant he didn't have any heroin but sold the informant three doses of Suboxone for $40, according to police.

After the purchase, the informant removed his or her hat, a signal to Marcocci that the deal was complete.

Pezze was quickly arrested in a nearby parking lot. Police searched him and reportedly found 23 Suboxone strips.

A later search of Pezze's belongings at the shelter turned up eight empty stamp bags, according to police.

Pezze is in Westmoreland County Prison on $20,000 cash bail. A preliminary hearing before District Judge James Albert is scheduled for June 15.

Police have dealt with drug problems at the shelter before, city police Capt. John Stafford said.

“The whole world's on heroin. We had a few people overdose there,” he said.

A spokeswoman for the shelter declined to comment.

The shelter staff was aware of the investigation, which is ongoing, Marcocci said.

Jacob Tierney is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-6646 or jtierney@tribweb.com.