BUTLER TWP — A three-time felon and suspected drug dealer is jailed on charges that he sold heroin to a police informant last week.

The Butler County Drug Task Force on Friday arrested Dennis Lee Melton Jr., 34, of Butler in connection with the alleged controlled drug buy at a home in Butler Township.

Investigators said Melton at about 1:45 p.m. Oct. 13 sold 50 stamp bags of suspected heroin to an informant at a home in the 1100 block of Center Avenue in Butler Township.

Narcotics officers arrested the defendant after they arrived at his home in the 400 block of South Monroe Street about 7 p.m. Friday with a search warrant.

The drug deal, authorities said, led to the warrant.

The search turned up 10 stamp bags of suspected heroin, a plastic bag containing suspected marijuana and two marijuana grinders, according to court documents.

Officers said they also seized several boxes of glassine bags commonly used to package heroin for street sales.

County Detective Tim Fennell, who supervises the task force, described Melton as a “mid-level” dealer, meaning he likely supplied drugs to lower street-level dealers.

He is charged with delivery of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, both felonies, and possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor, for the alleged drug deal.

His preliminary hearing is tentatively set for 9 a.m. Thursday before District Judge Kevin O’Donnell.

He was arraigned this morning on misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia and possession of a small amount of marijuana, stemming from Friday’s search.

A hearing date in that case is pending.

Melton is being held in the Butler County Prison in excess of $150,000 bail.

Court records showed Melton has felony convictions, all in Philadelphia, for drug possession, carrying a firearm without a permit and assault.