Drug suspect has 2 previous convictions
If the dozens of bags of suspected heroin didn’t give the man away as a purported drug dealer, the cell phone that wouldn’t stop ringing apparently did.
Butler police Tuesday night arrested Davon D. Stevens, 21, of Butler Township on felony drug charges after a traffic stop on State Street for a tinted-window violation.
But even while the bust was unfolding, police said, suspected would-be buyers were calling in requests and putting in orders — on Stevens’ phone.
The suspect, a two-time convicted drug felon, is being held in the Butler County Prison on $75,000 bail.
Patrolman Jeremy Walters about 9 p.m. stopped Stevens’ car for the apparent traffic violation. A short time later, the officer recovered a purple Crown Royal bag that fell to the ground when the defendant got out of the car and tried to walk away.
In the bag, according to court documents, were 30 stamp bags of suspected heroin with the name “Cowboy” etched in blue ink and a baggie of suspected marijuana.
The suspect also was carrying $145 in his pants pocket.
After Stevens was arrested and during a subsequent inventory search of his car, police found a flip-style cell phone.
“The phone was continuously ringing and alerting to new messages received,” Walters said in his affidavit filed with charges. The officer on Wednesday got a search warrant for the phone.
A preliminary inspection, he said, revealed “several text messages,” presumably from customers, “in regards to the purchase and delivery” of drugs.
One message, from an interested buyer, specifically asked about purchasing “some ‘Cowboys,’” documents said.
Stevens was arraigned Wednesday on felony charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility.
He also is charged with possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and possession of a small amount of marijuana, all misdemeanors, and summary charges of driving with a suspended license and driving with improper sun screening on windows.
Court records show Stevens was released from the county prison in March stemming from his Sept. 11 arrest and subsequent conviction for felony drug possession.
Butler police in that case arrested Stevens after finding him with 50 bags of heroin. He eventually pleaded guilty and on March 26 was sentenced to 6 to 12 months behind bars followed by two years on probation.
Stevens was let out of prison that same day for time served, records showed.
Along with his current and former felony drug cases in Butler County, the defendant’s record revealed that in December he was convicted of felony possession in Allegheny County.
In that case, he was given five years’ probation.
