SAXONBURG — Two preliminary hearings on numerous charges against a Middlesex Township man accused of selling drugs were held for county Common Pleas Court on Wednesday, Dec. 7.

William B. Blackham, 26, was charged in May by the Butler County Drug Task Force and the Middlesex Township police, cumulatively including nine felony counts of drug sales.

Across both cases, Blackham was also charged with multiple misdemeanors, including two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia, one count of drug possession and two counts of driving under the influence.

District Judge Wayne Seibel, substituting for District Judge Sue Haggerty in her office, heard the testimony of two witnesses.

Bryan Costanzo, officer with Middlesex police, said he encountered Blackham on April 17, when Blackham parked his vehicle in a bank’s parking lot along Route 8.

Upon approaching the vehicle, Costanzo found Blackham passed out in the driver’s seat.

“He opened the door, there was a large amount of money in the door jamb,” he said.

Costanzo later testified that a wad of currency was seen in a rubber band on the floor near the vehicle’s pedals. Some of the bills were found to be counterfeit, he added. The total amount found was $4,815.

Blackham was found to be impaired following field sobriety tests and detained. A later vehicle search was conducted, and Costanzo said an oxycodone pill, plastic bags, 69 Xanax pills, a container of a white powder substance and a stiletto knife.

During cross examination, defense attorney Eric Jackson Lurie asked Costanzo if he had prior knowledge of a cash business operated by Blackham, to which he said he did not.

“(Blackham) said he had a cash business...when I asked him if he sold pills for profit, he told me he only gave them to friends in need,” Costanzo said.

Costanza also said that the serial numbers on the counterfeit bills were matched to other bills used in illegal activity.

Officer Matthew Irvin, with the Drug Task Force, offered testimony in the second case against Blackham. He said a warrant was executed May 18 for the home where Blackham and his mother resided after it had been under surveillance.

Irvin said Blackham was detained around 10:10 a.m. after leaving the home, and multiple officers conducted the search.

In a safe in Blackham’s bedroom, officers found 267 meth pills, 79 MDMA pills, 504 alprazolam pills, five oxycodone pills, 1,456 psilocybin mushroom capsules, 1,928 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 90 grams of DMT, 26 grams of ketamine, 31 grams of MDMA, 20 grams of cocaine and 29 individually-rolled marijuana cigarettes.

Task force members also found $12,150 in cash, $7,000 in counterfeit cash, two pistols and one .223-caliber rifle.

“During an interview with Blackham, he indicated the dark web was the source of his purchasing narcotics, using a P.O. box in Valencia to hide the activity from his mother,” Irvin said.

He added that a small bag of ketamine was also found in a battery compartment in the back of the safe when it was moved by officers.

Seibel held all charges, and Blackham is scheduled to appear for formal arraignment Jan. 31.