Zelie man pleads in drug case
A Zelienople man charged with selling heroin pleaded guilty in Butler County Court on Wednesday.
Jesse T. Lackovic, 21, pleaded guilty to felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal use of a communications facility before county Judge Timothy McCune.
The plea agreement calls for a sentence of 18 to 36 months in state prison, as well as restitution, fines and costs. He is scheduled for sentencing Oct. 26.
Cranberry Township Police and county Drug Task Force officers initially charged Lackovic with 21 counts, including seven counts of felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, four counts of criminal use of a communications facility, conspiracy to possession with intent, and four counts each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after an investigation between Feb. 9 and 19.
Police used a confidential informant to buy narcotics from Lackovic, according to court documents.
Armed with a search warrant, police raided Luckovic's home on Lacona Lane and found 70 bags of suspected heroin and other drug contraband, as well as two loaded handguns. One of those guns, a .380-caliber pistol, Lackovic admitted, was given to him ”as payment for heroin,” documents said.
