Savannah Blust

A Petrolia woman was sentenced to county jail in Butler County Court on Thursday, after an alleged home invasion revealed a drug operation in her house.

Savannah M. Blust, 24, was sentenced to six to 12 months in Butler County Prison, followed by 36 months' probation, and ordered to pay a $500 fine and court costs by Judge Timothy McCune.

McCune also permitted her probation to be transferred to Westmoreland County.

Blust previously pleaded guilty to felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance on Oct. 18.

She was initially charged alongside her boyfriend, Macklin C. Haye, 24, with felony possession with intent, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and conspiracy counts to all after an alleged home invasion on June 8 at their home on the 300 block of Petrolia Road revealed that the two were selling marijuana and manufacturing THC wax.

Pennsylvania State Police investigating the home invasion incident, where it is alleged that three people broke into the house and confronted the couple, noticed suspected marijuana, contraband and suspicious equipment. Police ultimately found two pounds of processed marijuana, $67,928 in currency, as well as psychedelic mushrooms and an assortment of drug contraband in the house, while serving a search warrant.

Police said the home invasion incident occurred after Patrick C. Bookwalter, 35, of Brady Township, Clarion County; Joseph R. Painter, 34, of Kittanning; and Michael Lee Bure, 36, of Worthington, broke in and assaulted Blust and Haye. Police said the three men targeted the couple for proceeds from their drug business.

The trio allegedly forced open a basement door to get into the home, police said. They believed some of the money was in a vehicle in the garage and some was in the kitchen.

Bookwalter allegedly entered the home while Bure and Painter searched the garage, police said. That is when Bookwalter, armed with pepper spray and a handgun, encountered Haye sleeping on the couch in the living room. Police said Bookwalter sprayed Haye with the pepper spray as the two men tussled.

Blust, who was sleeping on the second floor, heard the fighting and came downstairs. She repeatedly stabbed Bookwalter in defense of her boyfriend, police said.

Moments later Bookwalter had a gun pointed at both occupants, and then he and his accomplices fled the house empty-handed before making their getaway in Bookwalter's car.

Bookwalter later called 911, claiming he had been stabbed near the All Star Bar in East Brady, and emergency crews found him in an alley near the bar. He had four stab wounds to his back, documents said. A medical helicopter flew him to a Pittsburgh hospital.

Police later interviewed him and he allegedly admitted his involvement.

Blust was arraigned and held in the Butler County Prison on $100,000 bail.

Haye, Painter, Bookwalter and Bure continue to await court proceedings. Painter is the only defendant not held, after posting $50,000 bail.