Accused burglar nabbed with suspected drugs
BUTLER TWP — An alleged burglar wanted in the theft of a stash of guns was arrested Friday after troopers found him at an apartment containing an assortment of suspected drugs and other contraband, authorities said.
State police arrested their target, Jason T. Ewing, 31, of Butler Township, as well as two other men they found with him at Byre Mor Court Apartments in Butler Township.
Ewing and the others — William S. Campbell, 67, who lives at the apartment; and Anthony D. Rue, 38, of Pittsburgh — are all in the Butler County Prison on six-figure bail each.
Troopers went to the apartment about 3 p.m. Friday looking for Ewing, who was named in an arrest warrant in connection with last month's break-in at a home in northern Butler County, according to court documents.
Police said they smelled marijuana coming from the apartment. A man, later identified as Campbell, answered their knock at the door.
But the officers heard others inside the home. Eventually, police said, Ewing and Rue came out of a room.
Troopers subsequently got a search warrant for the apartment that was served about 90 minutes later.
Some of the items seized, police said, were eight baggies of suspected crack cocaine, a Ziploc bag containing suspected powdered heroin or fentanyl, and 21 glassine bags filled with an unknown substance.Additional evidence taken included 19 prescription pills, a container with suspected marijuana, eight syringes, $209 in currency and two cell phones.District Judge Sue Haggerty arraigned all three defendants on felony and misdemeanor drug possession charges. They also are charged with felony conspiracy.Additionally, Haggerty arraigned Ewing on more than a dozen other felonies stemming from the unrelated burglary Jan. 19 in Cherry Valley.Police allege the defendant got inside the house on Route 38 by breaking a basement window, and stole eight long guns, valued at a combined $4,680, documents said.
Because Ewing has a felony conviction for conspiracy to commit robbery, according to investigators, he is barred under state law from having guns.During their investigation, troopers learned that Ewing between Jan. 19 and 21 sold four of the stolen guns to Yaracs Family Auction. Police later recovered those firearms.Haggerty arraigned Ewing on felony charges of burglary, trespass and multiple counts of theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, theft by deception and illegal possession of a firearm.He also is charged with a misdemeanor count of criminal mischief.Ewing is in the county prison on $200,000 bail. Campbell and Rue are jailed on $100,000 bail each.
