Jemeal Youngblood

A Pittsburgh man continues to be held in the Butler County Prison after a bail modification request was denied in county court on Wednesday.

Jemeal M. Youngblood, 19, of Pittsburgh continues to be held on $50,000 bail on charges of two counts of felony possession with intent to deliver, one count of criminal conspiracy, misdemeanor possession of marijuana and two counts of misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.

County Judge Timothy McCune denied the request after hearing testimony from Youngblood and argument from his attorney, Michael Jewert.

Jewert asked Judge McCune to release Youngblood on nominal bail, and suggested pretrial supervision, which was denied.

Youngblood was charged alongside Marcus A. Wells of Pittsburgh; Breanna J. Aldrich of Connellsville; Bryant K. Wells Jr. of Pittsburgh; and Maryrose M. Hatfield of Butler Township, after an incident on March 22.

The Butler County Drug Task Force filed the charges after a search warrant was executed at an apartment at 600 Hansen Ave., Lyndora, arresting the resident and four others.

Officers seized 215 stamp bags of suspected heroin, about nine grams of crack cocaine packaged for sale, a small amount of marijuana and $664 in cash as well as multiple cell phones, according to court records.

Police had been investigating alleged drug sales at that apartment since mid-February.

Jewert argued that Youngblood's criminal history only has one adjudication as a minor for criminal trespass and no adult arrests and that he had a chance of employment at a construction company in Pittsburgh if he were released.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Lope argued that Youngblood has no connection to the Butler community and came to the area with the sole purpose of selling drugs.

“This young man came here with three others to deal drugs, making an arrangement with a local resident,” he said.

Jewert argued that the allegation was something that needs to be proven in court, and “Mr. Youngblood was not considered a target of that search warrant, and was not named in that warrant. It is making a stretch that the allegations are that he came here to deal drugs.”

“All that was found in the bedroom with him was one stamp bag of heroin and a small amount of marijuana,” Jewert said.

Youngblood continues to be held pending a conference on Aug. 16, jury selection beginning Aug. 17 and trial on Aug. 28.