Quinzal Powell

Part of a suspected drug dealer's treasure — $1,000 in currency, 1,121 stamp bags of suspected opioids and a digital scale — was discovered stashed in drop ceilings of a Butler apartment, authorities said.

But that was just a part of it.

State and county narcotics officers allegedly discovered an additional $9,220 in cash, a half dozen cell phones and a video surveillance system during Thursday's search of Desirae Feitl's apartment — above a bar — on the 200 block of Pillow Street.The systematic search of the apartment, where Feitl was living for more than a year, took around 90 minutes.Officers arrested Feitl earlier that same day as part of an ongoing joint investigation by the Butler County Drug Task Force and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office Bureau of Narcotics Investigation.She is in the Butler County Prison on $350,000 bond.Officers Thursday also arrested Feitl's alleged drug source, Quinzal S. Powell, 30, of Philadelphia. He too was placed in the county prison, but was released Saturday after posting $100,000 bail.County Detective Tim Fennell, who leads the task force, said Feitl was the target when the joint investigation began in November 2019. During the investigation, Powell was identified as the source bringing her drugs from Philadelphia to sell.“In Butler County,” Fennell said Monday, “she has a substantial customer base.”Investigators allege Feitl was selling either straight fentanyl or a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, both opioids.As part of the investigation, state and county narcotics officers conducted extensive surveillance and observed suspected drug deals in the city and Butler Township.On July 28, according to court documents, officers conducted surveillance of a customer of Feitl's. The suspected buyer, a 38-year-old Butler woman, drove to the Greater Butler Mart parking lot in Butler Township.Minutes later, Feitl drove up in a sport utility vehicle, stopping adjacent to the other woman's car. The other woman got out and went to the passenger side window of Feitl's SUV, documents said, and “reached in and made an exchange.”The alleged drug deal was photographed, authorities said. Both women drove off in their vehicles. But two officers working surveillance quickly stopped the other woman and eventually seized two stamp bag bundles of suspected heroin and a cell phone from her.A consent search of the phone turned up seven text messages between the woman and Feitl. At least one of the texts referred to an alleged drug transaction.Two months earlier, Butler police arrested the same 38-year-old woman for driving under the influence. She was found with 15 stamp bags of suspected fentanyl and heroin. She made an “unsolicited statement” that she had bought the drugs from “Dez,” documents said.The woman recounted where she bought the drugs, which was identified as being Feitl's apartment.An analysis of the woman's cell phone allegedly revealed text messages detailing a drug deal.Fennell on Thursday obtained arrest warrants for Feitl in connection with those previous incidents. She is charged in each case with felony counts of delivery of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility.Officers arrested her on those warrants shortly before 2 p.m. that day at the parking lot of a doctor's office in Butler Township. Fennell said she was found with 66 stamp bags of suspected heroin/fentanyl.Within an hour, investigators obtained a search warrant for Feitl's apartment. Based on the findings in the search, she is charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, a felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor.Fennell said she is facing still more charges stemming from the suspected drugs she had when arrested.Also on Thursday as part of the investigation, officers arrested Powell after executing a sealed search warrant for his car. He was driving the car, which was stopped on Renaissance Drive in Butler.Authorities described Powell as an “upper level” dealer.A search of his car, investigators said, turned up two knotted baggies with a combined 1,150 glassine bags of suspected fentanyl.Authorities declined further comment about the investigation. Fennell, however, said that more arrests are forthcoming.

Desirae Feitl