Man pleads guilty in drug cases
A Butler man charged in several drug distribution cases pleaded guilty in Butler County Court on Thursday.
Robert M. Pacelli, 47, entered guilty pleas to two felony counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin, misdemeanor driving under the influence, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and summary driving on a suspended license before county Judge Timothy McCune.
The plea agreement calls for an aggregate sentence of two to four years in state prison, as well as probation and fines. He is scheduled for sentencing on June 8.
Pacelli's attorney, Armand Cingolani III, informed the court that other charges were pending, including misdemeanor possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia from a May 2015 incident, which were waived to county court in a preliminary hearing on Wednesday. Assistant District Attorney Richard Bosco told the judge that the prosecution is seeking to withdraw those charges as part of the plea, which will be handled at the time of sentencing.
Pacelli was initially charged with misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and summary public drunkenness after an incident in Butler on May 18, 2016, when he was allegedly found unresponsive in a vehicle in the 200 block of East Brady Street. Butler police said inside the vehicle were three stamp bags of suspected heroin, four baggies of suspected crack cocaine, two crack pipes and a syringe. He was arraigned and released on his own recognizance.
He was then charged with felony possession with intent to deliver, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, summary driving on a suspended license and reckless driving following a police chase in Butler on June 13, 2016. Butler police said Pacelli was allegedly driving on West Penn Street when an officer attempted to pull him over. The vehicle then drove off, running stop signs and driving at unsafe speeds with pedestrians in the area, before stopping back near West Penn Street.
In the car, police said they found 27 bags of suspected heroin, a glass pipe with suspected burnt cocaine residue, a container with four pills, a digital scale, a cell phone and a tablet with names and numbers of several known drug dealers.
He was arraigned and held on $50,000 bail, which was later changed and he was released on his own recognizance.
The final case involved charges of two felony counts of possession with intent to distribute, misdemeanor possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, DUI controlled substance, four counts of possession of a controlled substance, summary public drunkenness and driving on a suspended license after an incident at the GetGo convenience store on Route 8 North, Butler Township, on Jan. 14, 2017. Township police said they were called for a man, later identified as Pacelli, in the store under the influence, who was then found asleep in a running vehicle when police arrived, according to court documents.
An unmarked pill bottle with what appeared to be stamp bags of heroin was found on the driver's seat, documents state.
Following a search, Pacelli was allegedly found with more bags of heroin as well as packages of Suboxone and a baggie containing crack, documents said. An initial search of the vehicle turned up a purple Crown Royal bag filled with hypodermic needles and other drug contraband.
In all, 57 stamp bags and 11 empty bags of heroin, four baggies of crack, five packages of Suboxone, two pills of the antianxiety drug clonazepam, a plastic tube containing suspected marijuana, rolling papers, $200 in currency and more than 80 unused stamp bags, presumably to be used to package heroin, were found, police said.
He was arraigned and held in Butler County Prison on $30,000 bail since Jan. 15.
