Austin Malone

A Cranberry Township man charged with heroin distribution and DUI pleaded guilty Tuesday in three cases in Butler County Court.

Austin J. Malone, 27, pleaded guilty to felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance — heroin, misdemeanor driving under the influence of a controlled substance and summary driving on a suspended license before President Judge Thomas Doerr. The plea agreement calls for a sentence of two to five years in a state correctional facility. Malone will also be ordered to pay court costs, restitution and $1,700 in fines, as well as complete 100 hours of community service when he is sentenced on May 17.

Police, including the Butler County Drug Task Force and Zelienople police, filed 24 charges against Malone in December after an investigation into the sale of heroin on three occasions, between May 10 and June 5, in Zelienople and Cranberry Township.

Police said Malone sold 10 stamp bags of heroin for $80 to a confidential informant on all three occasions — May 10 and June 5 at different stores in Zelienople and May 17 at a store in Cranberry Township.

Police said on two occasions Malone conspired with his girlfriend, Morgan R. Moretti, 20, of Zelienople, who also faces charges in the incident.

Officers arrested Malone shortly after the alleged June 5 deal. They recovered the official funds in his wallet that the informant used to buy the heroin.

Also in his vehicle, according to court documents, officers seized 50 additional stamp bags that were full, partially full or empty, as well as drug contraband.

Malone pleaded guilty to the felony possession with intent charge in that case.

Malone was also charged with 47 counts — including three counts of misdemeanor DUI controlled substance, 41 counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and summary traffic violations — after an incident on Perry Way at Perry Highway, Zelienople, on Aug. 29.

Zelienople police said while investigating a one-vehicle crash, where a vehicle hit a utility pole, borough sign and tree, Malone was found driving under the influence.

Malone told police he “must have” fallen asleep after taking his girlfriend to work, according to the criminal complaint. Police said he then failed field sobriety tests and was arrested.

During a search, police said an empty stamp bag was found in his wallet, as well as several more stamp bags in the vehicle.

When interviewed, Malone told officers that he used to smoke heroin, but had “recently stopped,” the criminal complaint states.

Blood work found that Malone was under the influence of marijuana, police said.

He pleaded guilty to the DUI controlled substance count in that case.

Malone was also charged with misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, 12 counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and summary driving on a suspended license after an incident on East Culvert Street on Nov. 2.

Zelienople police filed the charges after Malone was seen driving, and was known by police to have a suspended license.

The vehicle was stopped and Malone told police that he was driving because Moretti was unable to back into their driveway. Police said Malone attempted to hide a suspicious package by placing a rag over it, and when police seized it, it was found to be a packaged bundle of heroin.

Both Malone and Moretti were arrested. The criminal complaint in that incident states that Moretti took responsibility for the heroin. She awaits further court proceedings in that incident. Malone pleaded guilty to the summary suspended license charge in that case.

He is held in county jail on a combined $20,200 bail pending sentencing.