Hasan Shareef

A suspected drug dealer and felon is once again being sought by authorities, this time after he failed to appear for his trial in Butler County Court.

Hasan Shareef, 42, was scheduled Thursday morning for a non-jury trial in President Judge Thomas Doerr's courtroom. But when the defendant proved to be a no-show, Doerr signed a bench warrant for him.

The court previously granted Shareef's request for the non-jury trial in his felony drug case that dates back two years ago.

His non-appearance came despite the admonishment from his court-appointed attorney the day before.

Armand Cingolani III said he got a call from his client Wednesday. The defendant claimed he had checked himself into a drug rehab facility and would be unable to make his trial.

Cingolani advised Shareef that was no excuse and warned him that he better be in court Thursday or a warrant would be issued

“I told him his bond would be revoked and he'd be put in jail,” Cingolani told the Butler Eagle on Friday.

Shareef on Jan. 26, 2017, was released from the Butler County Prison under Pennsylvania Criminal Procedure Rule 600, also known as the “speedy trial” law.

The rule requires the state to bring a case to trial within 180 days of arrest or release the defendant on nominal bail.

Shareef had previously been in the Butler County Prison on $750,000 bail following his arrest May 27, 2016.

By chance, state police nabbed him at an upstairs apartment in Butler while they were serving a search warrant in connection with an unrelated burglary investigation.

Troopers found him alone in the home, where he allegedly had been staying. He was searched and found with $2,570 in currency, and carrying New York state identification.

While at that home, police also noticed guns and drug contraband, which led them to get a second search warrant.

Seized during the secondary search were 407 stamp bags of suspected heroin, five bags of powder cocaine, seven bags of crack cocaine and another $5,957 more in currency, according to charging documents.

Police also found an additional bag that contained a “chunk” of crack, unopened, and opened Suboxone strips and prescription pills, and digital scales.

The seized items were in a black leather bag that police allege belonged to Shareef.

Additionally, troopers found two loaded pistols, a shotgun and ammunition scattered about the apartment.

Because of the defendant's criminal record, which includes felony convictions in five states, according to police, he is barred under state law from having guns.

He is charged with felony counts of drug possession and illegal firearms possession.

Shareef has another case related to the 2016 search pending in Butler County Court.

State police in January of this year charged him with a felony count of receiving stolen property after authorities eventually determined one of the seized guns — a .22-caliber pistol — had been taken from the owner without her knowledge or permission.