Tera Callihan

A 31-year-old Chicora woman caught with suspected ecstasy and accused of bouncing checks totaling hundreds of dollars is not likely to get out of the Butler County Prison any time soon.

Tera Lynne Callihan's bail is $255,000. That's high for two misdemeanor cases.

District Judge Lewis Stoughton said he imposed bail Monday out of concern for Callihan's own welfare. At her arraignment he also learned that she had allegedly used heroin just days before her arrest.

Police began investigating Callihan on Thursday when they got a bad check report at Friedman's supermarket in Chicora. They eventually charged her with writing seven checks from a closed account.

The bogus checks, which totaled $621.96, were passed at Friedman's stores in Chicora and Butler Township, according to court documents.

Callihan later admitted writing the checks during a police interview.

“Callihan advised that she would write the bad checks to purchase cigarettes,” document said, “which she would then sell for cash.”

During their investigation police also learned that there was a bench warrant out for Callihan's arrest.

Court records show the warrant was issued Sept. 29, after she failed to appear for a hearing in connection with a shoplifting case in Butler Township.

Police on Friday spotted Callihan leaving her home and made a traffic stop, arresting her for the warrant.

A search of her vehicle turned up a small cellophane baggie containing suspected MDMA, also known as ecstasy, and two empty stamp bags of suspected heroin, documents said.

Stoughton arraigned Callihan on charges of possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and seven counts each of bad checks and theft by deception, all misdemeanors.

Preliminary hearings in both cases are set for Oct. 24 at Stoughton's office in Chicora.