Jon Shay

A Butler man is jailed on charges related to an alleged methamphetamine lab and a suspected burglary at a business garage, both in northern Butler County.

State police arrested 36-year-old Jon R. Shay on Friday on a list of charges in the two cases last summer. He is in the Butler County Prison on $150,000 bond.

Three other defendants — Justin W. Ealy, 30, of Summit Township; Matthew J. Bowser, 29, of Allegheny Township; and Leroy D. Bowser Jr., 52, of Emlenton — also are charged in connection with the burglary.

Additionally, Ealy and Leroy Bowser are charged in the meth lab case.

State police said the alleged burglars are accused of targeting a trucking company on Station Road in Mercer Township sometime between 1:30 and 10 a.m. July 20, 2019.

Among the estimated $40,000 in items stolen from the garage, police said, was a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a Yamaha all-terrain vehicle, a Stihl concrete saw and other property.

Police said Ealy on July 21 texted a picture of the saw, valued at more than $1,000, to another man, who already knew about the break-in.

The man showed the picture to Daniel Dellich, the business owner, who recognized the saw as his. Authorities, in turn, were notified.

Police subsequently set up a sting to catch Ealy, according to charging documents, using the man to whom he had tried to sell the stolen saw.

At a pre-arranged meeting in Franklin Township, Ealy showed up with the saw, believing the man was going to buy it. Troopers, however, were waiting for him.

On July 22, Ealy during a police interview allegedly implicated Matthew and Leroy Bowser in the burglary. He allegedly said the three of them drove to the garage, and the elder Bowser cut a padlock to get inside.

Later, documents said, “Shay confessed to having been at the (garage) during the burglary” and to “loading stolen items onto a truck and trailer.”

Investigators obtained a search warrant for Shay's home, which at the time was leased to Ealy, documents said, and they turned up evidence of a “one-pot” or “shake and bake” portable meth lab.

Police said an investigation determined that “Leroy Bowser and Jon Shay were the cookers of the meth and Justin Ealy (was) responsible for the supplies and distribution.”

Shay was arraigned Friday on charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, operating a meth lab and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He also was arraigned on burglary, trespass, theft and criminal mischief in the alleged garage break-in. It was unclear from online court records if he has an attorney.

On Jan. 8, police obtained an arrest warrant for Leroy Bowser in connection with the meth lab investigation. He is charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, operating a meth lab and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ealy is awaiting trial on similar charges in the meth case as well as burglary, trespass, theft and criminal mischief in the garage break-in.

Leroy and Matthew Bowser are both charged with burglary, trespass and theft in the garage break-in. The elder Bowser is wanted on an arrest warrant in the case. The younger Bowser is awaiting trial in the case, records showed.

Ealy and Matthew Bowser are free on bail. Ealy's attorney, county public defender Kimberly Hudak, did not immediately return a telephone call Tuesday. Bowser's attorney, Joseph Hudak of Pittsburgh, could not be reached for comment.