Craig Taylor

A Butler man pleaded guilty Thursday in Butler County Court in relation to a drug delivery case as well as an assault, moments before the jury in the trial would have been selected.

Craig T. Taylor, 27, pleaded guilty to felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, as well as misdemeanor simple assault before county Judge Timothy McCune.

Taylor's attorney, Public Defender Charles Nedz, said the plea agreement calls for 18 to 36 months of state incarceration. He is scheduled to be sentenced later.

He was initially charged with four felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, one count of criminal use of a communication facility and two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance after an incident on Aug. 26.

The Butler County Drug Task Force charged Taylor after he allegedly sold heroin and crack cocaine to an undercover officer in Butler. Taylor is accused of using a telephone to set up the deal at West Wayne Street.

Investigators said the suspect sold 10 bags of heroin and a rock of crack.

He was placed in Butler County Prison on $50,000 bail following arraignment, which was reduced and he was later released on his own recognizance. That bail was later revoked and set at $2,500 on Feb. 27.

Taylor also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor simple assault after he was charged on Oct. 25, 2015. He was initially charged with two counts of simple assault and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.

Court records state that Butler City police were called to 402 Virginia Ave., after Taylor's girlfriend reports that during an argument, Taylor pushed her, causing her to fall and hit her head on a wall.

The woman was also holding her 4-year-old daughter, who also hit her head on the ground, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Both were treated at the Butler Memorial Hospital emergency room, the document states.

When Taylor was arrested, police said he was found in possession of a bag of crack cocaine.