Man pleads to lesser charge in drug case
A Pittsburgh man charged alongside four others with drug distribution pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in Butler County Court on Wednesday.
Jemeal M. Youngblood, 20, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia before Judge Timothy McCune.
The plea agreement calls for a sentence of 12 months probation. He is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 28.
Youngblood was initially charged with 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 following an incident on March 22 in Butler Township. The paraphernalia charge to which he pleaded was later added, and the remaining charges will be dismissed as part of the plea.
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 a search was conducted by the Butler County Drug Task Force of an apartment at 600 Hansen Ave., Lyndora, where Hatfield resided.
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.
Of the other defendants, Wells Jr. was sentenced to two to four years in state prison after pleading guilty to two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance — heroin and crack cocaine; Marcus Wells pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of marijuana and was sentenced to 30 days to six months, as well as fines and court costs; Hatfield was sentenced to 15 to 30 months in state prison followed by 12 months probation; and Aldrich awaits further proceedings after posting her $25,000 bail the day after being charged.
