Robert L. Jones

A Pittsburgh man pleaded guilty to drug distribution in Butler County Court Tuesday related to a series of undercover drug purchases in Cranberry Township which began on Feb. 13, 2017.

Robert L. Jones, 39, pleaded guilty to felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and conspiracy to the previous charge before President Judge Thomas Doerr.

No sentence agreement is in place, and District Attorney Richard Goldinger said the sentencing guidelines are 12 to 18 months in state prison on each count, with the ultimate determination of running them consecutive or concurrent up to the judge at the time of sentencing.

Jones is scheduled to be sentenced April 4, and remains free after posting $50,000 cash bail.

The Butler County Drug Task Force filed the charges after undercover purchases of crack cocaine on four occasions over a three-week period.

The series of drug buys began Feb. 13 when a police informant set up a deal between 54-year-old William R. Reid and the officer at Reid's home on Sherwood Drive, according to court documents.

During that incident, Reid is accused of selling an eighth of an ounce of cocaine for $180 to an undercover officer. He also revealed that Jones was his source, authorities said.

Surveillance officers nearby later spotted Jones leaving Reid's house in a car that was parked in the driveway.

The next day a similar deal was arranged, this time with Reid giving the officer a plastic bag containing suspected crack cocaine in exchange for $250.

While making the buy in the house, authorities said, the officer saw Jones seated at the kitchen table with bags of suspected drugs on it and was using a scale to sort, weigh and package the suspected narcotics, police said.

A third deal occurred Feb. 27 at the house where Reid and Jones sold one-quarter ounce of crack for $400, police said.

The last deal occurred March 3 when the officer paid Jones another $400 for more crack, documents said.

Task force officers a short time later arrested Jones when he left the house. Investigators said he was found with the $400 in marked currency the undercover officer had given him.

Officers also seized the defendant's cell phone and a small bag of suspected marijuana.

Jones was initially charged with four counts each of felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, as well as the single felony conspiracy count.

Reid was later charged with six possession with intent charges, three counts of criminal use of a communications facility and three misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance. He was released on $10,000 unsecured bail and awaits court proceedings.