Drug charges continue to mount against North Belle Vernon man
Drug charges continued to pile up against an alleged North Belle Vernon drug dealer following a raid during the past week in Charleroi.
Charleroi Regional police filed multiple charges Friday against Darnell W. Howell, 44, of Ella Street, after locating him at a Washington Avenue residence on Tuesday afternoon.
Howell was wanted on drug charges filed earlier this month for an alleged incident in Monessen.
Police said they reportedly found Howell locked inside a bathroom.
He purportedly tore a toilet off the floor and wall in a desperate attempt to shove packaged heroin down a pipe and a sink drain, according to police.
Howell, who continued ignoring police commands to exit the bathroom, finally came out when Officer David Kimball busted through an outside window, police said.
Inside the bathroom, Kimball said, officers found four bricks of heroin (200 stamp bags), 16 grams of crack cocaine and a bag of marijuana inside the toilet. More heroin and crack was allegedly found inside a sink drain, police said.
Police said Howell and another suspect, Justin Law, were apparently in the process of cooking crack in the kitchen area at the time of the bust.
Howell was charged with criminal conspiracy, manufacture/possession of a controlled substance, tampering with physical evidence and three other misdemeanor drug charges.
Howell was transported to Westmoreland County Prison, where he is being held on a state parole violation.
Howell is awaiting hearings for both the Monessen and Charleroi incidents.
Police said they found Law, 26, of South McKean Avenue, Donora, hiding in the basement.
There, police alleged they found additional heroin, crack and prescription pills.
Law was charged with two felony counts each of conspiracy and manufacture/possession of a controlled substance and various other charges.
He remains in the Washington County Correctional Facility in lieu of $30,000 bond.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled June 1 before Magisterial District Judge Larry Hopkins in Charleroi.
In addition, police charged Cindy M. Jay, 40, of Fallowfield Avenue, Charleroi, with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Police claim they found four stamp bags of heroin on a bedroom dresser where officers found her during the raid.
Jay appeared to be under the influence of drugs, nodding off after she was detained, Kimball said.
She remains free while awaiting a June 25 preliminary hearing.
Rick Bruni Jr. is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at rbruni@tribweb.com or 724-684-2635.
