SAXONBURG — A man accused of being a big-time Butler County drug dealer was fined Monday after pleading guilty to cocaine possession charges.

But Ken Digiacomo's legal problems are far from over.

Digiacomo, 42, of Clearfield Township remains in the county prison in lieu of $375,000 bond in connection with a much bigger pending case.

The defendant is awaiting trial on charges filed by the state attorney general's office that he was the ringleader of a drug operation believed responsible for $200,000 worth of cocaine sales monthly in the county.

State and local narcotics agents and police officers in March arrested Digiacomo and more than 20 other associates linked to the drug gang.

He is charged with participating in a corrupt organization, conspiracy, and multiple counts of drug possession and delivery.

But Digiacomo already faced lesser charges in a separate drug case filed by state police last summer.

He was charged in that case after police found him Dec. 12, 2004, passed out behind the wheel of his mini-van on the side of Saxonburg Road in Jefferson Township. Police found him with more than 6 grams of cocaine, according to court documents.

Rather than have a preliminary hearing in the case Monday before District Judge Sue Haggerty, the defendant pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and driving with a suspended license.

In exchange for the plea, prosecutors agreed to withdraw a more serious charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

Haggerty ordered Digiacomo to pay $1,338.50 in fines and court costs.

However, she granted him some leeway in paying off the debt, after defense attorney Michael Zunder noted his client's incarceration due to the pending case.

Meanwhile, court records show Digiacomo already has a conviction for drug delivery, as well as a Megan's Law sex offense.