SAXONBURG — A Middlesex Township man is accused of selling drugs from his home and leaving the substances in reach of his three children.

Steven R. Mayhew, 33, appeared and waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday before District Judge Sue Haggerty.

Mayhew is free on $50,000 bond, which he posted Tuesday. He is charged with three felony counts of child endangerment, one felony count of drug sales and one misdemeanor count of possessing drug paraphernalia, related to a May 20 incident at his home.

During a discussion about his bond, Mayhew said he intended to refute the charges at trial.

According to charging documents, police were called twice to Mayhew’s home for a domestic altercation.

Police said the first time the mother of Mayhew’s children was home and denied anything rising above an argument. Police said when they arrived the second time, about 40 minutes later, the woman, the children and the vehicle were not home.

“Steven answered the door in tears and was saying (the woman) was going to make something up to get him put back in prison,” police said in the affidavit.

Police said while investigating, they saw a trail of blood leading to the garage, and along the way, they also spotted a digital scale and baggies on an ottoman.

Police said Mayhew later gave police permission to search further, and during the search, he willingly showed officers cocaine and some pills. Police said more drugs and paraphernalia were found in a backpack.

Police said Mayhew was in possession of two bags of cocaine and two packages of pills. There were 39 Alprazolam pills, and the cocaine weight has yet to be determined.

Police said the most serious charges stem from the ability of Mayhew’s three children, all under 10, to be able to reach the drugs.

“The prescription bottle with pills, cocaine and empty bags with the white residue on them were mixed in with children’s toys,” police said.

Mayhew has not been charged with any violent crimes related to the incident.

Mayhew is schedule for formal arraignment Aug. 16 in Butler County Common Pleas Court.