A Butler County career criminal is jailed in Lawrence County on charges that he sold stolen handguns to a former state prison cell mate.

Nicholas J.R. Oesterling, 31, of Jefferson Township was arrested Wednesday on eight felony charges in the case.

Lawrence County detectives began investigating Oesterling last fall after an informant came to authorities with information: the defendant was looking to sell or trade guns for money or stamp bags of heroin, court documents said.

The informant had first met Oesterling about five years ago when they shared a cell at one of Pennsylvania’s state correctional institutions.

The two convicts remained in contact following their release, authorities said.

The defendant told the informant he obtained the stolen guns while “car shopping” in Butler County. Car shopping is street parlance for looking for unlocked vehicles to loot for money and property.

On Oct. 31, detectives set up an undercover sting using the informant to buy two guns from Oesterling for $150.

During the operation, documents said, detectives monitored a controlled gun buy between the informant and Oesterling in Slippery Rock Township, Lawrence County.

At the meeting outside a convenience store, the informant bought two stolen handguns — a Ruger .357 Magnum revolver loaded with five live rounds and a Taurus PT-25 .25-caliber pistol with a magazine clip loaded with six rounds.

Authorities later learned those two guns had been reported stolen from the owners’ vehicles on Oct. 27 and 28.

Oesterling was arraigned on two felony counts each of illegal possession of a firearm, receiving stolen property, illegal sale of firearms and carrying a firearm without a permit.

Following arraignment, he was placed in the Lawrence County Jail on $30,000 bail.

Because of his criminal history, which includes felony convictions for burglary and trespass, Oesterling is prohibited under state law from possessing any firearms.

The defendant’s adult record, all accumulated in Butler County, dates back to 2003 when he was 19, records showed. His first convictions were for possessing drug paraphernalia.

Oesterling’s record also revealed he has served numerous stints in county and state prison.