Alert patrol officers caught four suspects and seized more than 65 bags of suspected heroin and 50 bags of suspected crack cocaine in three separate weekend arrests in Butler.

Charged with felony and misdemeanor drug possession are James E. Howard-George, 22, Ervin Johnson Jr., 58, and Nicholas C. Harmon, 29, all of Butler; and April D. Deem, 40, of Hopewell, Bedford County.

All but Deem are in Butler County Prison.

The first of the arrests happened about 9:25 p.m. Friday when Patrolman Chad Rensel spotted a minivan on West Diamond Street cross South Chestnut Street without its lights on.

Rensel followed the van briefly before pulling it over on Liberty Street when the driver, Howard-George, still did not turn the lights on, police said. He did not have a driver's license.

While at the vehicle, the officer noticed on the floor behind the center console a plastic bag that appeared to have heroin in it, according to court documents.

When Rensel mentioned the bag to Howard-George, he began to run but was immediately stopped.

The plastic bag, police said, contained 16 stamp bags of suspected heroin and six bags of suspected crack.

Patrolman Miles Bizub was working patrol duty about 5:15 p.m. Saturday when he came upon a suspicious vehicle parked in a lot on South Main Street known for drug activity.

When the officer approached the car, the driver, identified as Harmon, turned his head, police said. Deem, who was in the passenger seat, made “furtive movements,” a police affidavit said.

Bizub looked in the car and saw what appeared to be a Chore Boy copper scrubber, which is commonly used to filter crack pipes.

Police took both occupants out of the vehicle. When Harmon got up, Lt. James Hollobaugh noticed a stamp bag of suspected heroin on his seat.

Harmon was searched and found with 18 bags of suspected heroin, five bags of suspected crack and a pill of the anti-anxiety medication clonazepam, documents said.

A search of Deem, police said, turned up 31 stamp bags of suspected heroin and five additional bags of suspected crack.

A blown out brake light led to Patrolman Travis Buckshire pulling over a car about 2 a.m. Sunday. In his complaint, the officer noted that Johnson, a passenger, appeared nervous and his hands were shaking.

While in the car, Johnson tried to reach a hand into his waist line. Buckshire and Patrolman Nick Shulik eventually got Johnson out of the vehicle.

The suspect was searched, documents said, and found with 34 bags, totaling 5 grams, of suspected crack. He also had two stamp bags of suspected heroin.

All four defendants were arraigned on charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.

Additionally, Harmon and Deem are charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, and Howard-George is charged with driving without a license and without lights on.

Johnson is in the county prison on $100,000 bail; Howard-George and Harmon are in on $50,000 bail each. Deem is free on $25,000 bail.