Jemeal Youngblood

A Pittsburgh man was sentenced to probation in Butler County court on Thursday, after being charged alongside four others with drug distribution in Butler.

Jemeal M. Youngblood, 20, was sentenced to 12 months probation by Judge Timothy McCune. He was also ordered to pay court costs.

Youngblood pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia on Nov. 7.

He was initially charged with two counts of felony possession with intent to deliver, one count of criminal conspiracy, misdemeanor possession of marijuana and two counts of misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance following an incident on March 22 in Butler Township.

The paraphernalia charge to which Youngblood pleaded guilty was later added, and the remaining charges were dismissed as part of the plea.

Also charged in the case were Marcus A. Wells of Pittsburgh; Breanna J. Aldrich of Connellsville; Bryant K. Wells Jr. of Pittsburgh; and Maryrose M. Hatfield of Butler Township.

The group was charged after a search was conducted by the Butler County Drug Task Force of an apartment at 600 Hansen Ave., Lyndora, where Hatfield resided.

During that investigation, 215 stamp bags of suspected heroin, about nine grams of crack cocaine packaged for sale, a small amount of marijuana and $664 in cash as well as multiple cell phones were found and seized.

Police had been investigating alleged drug sales at that apartment since mid-February.

Of the other defendants, Wells Jr. was sentenced to two to four years in state prison after pleading guilty to two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance — heroin and crack cocaine; Marcus Wells pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of marijuana and was sentenced to 30 days to six months, as well as fines and court costs; Hatfield was sentenced to 15 to 30 months in state prison followed by 12 months probation; and Aldrich was sentenced to six months county probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.