Waynesburg man charged with drug-related offenses
A Waynesburg man charged with several drug-related offenses was apprehended Friday in Morgantown, W.Va., state police said. Police charged 21-year-old Keith McNett with possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia after 13 bricks of heroin were found in a vehicle McNett had been a passenger in on March 10.
Police said they received a tip that McNett was frequenting a nightclub in Morgantown, and said Trooper James Orbash was sent to do surveillance Friday night. Police said Orbash spotted McNett around 1:30 a.m. Saturday and that he summoned Morgantown City Police, who arrested McNett.
Police said Saturday that McNett was currently being held in the Northern Regional Correctional Facility and that he will be extradited to Greene County Prison for his preliminary hearing on the drug charges.
In a criminal complaint filed by Gilbert last month, the officer said he had been patrolling Waynesburg when he saw a vehicle stopped along Richhill Street. Gilbert said he noticed the vehicle’s side brake lights and rear running lights were burned out and said he activated his emergency lights and initiated a traffic stop after the vehicle made a right-hand turn onto Elm Street without using a turn signal.
Trooper Timothy Gilbert said the driver of the vehicle was identified as Bryan Taylor of Clarksville. The complaint stated Taylor asked Gilbert why he had been pulled over and that Gilbert told Taylor he could get out of the vehicle and see the burned-out lights for himself.
When Taylor exited the vehicle, Gilbert said he saw a marijuana blunt in the storage compartment on the driver’s side door. A folded $10 bill containing a white powdery substance was also within plain view, according to the complaint.
According to the complaint, Gilbert immediately handcuffed Taylor and asked McNett and fellow passenger Bryan Hutchinson of Waynesburg to exit the vehicle. Both men were searched and the complaint stated McNett had $3,029 in his possession and Hutchinson had $866 in his possession. Gilbert said neither McNett of Hutchinson could explain where the money came from or how they came into possession of it.
After obtaining a warrant to further search the vehicle, Greene County District Attorney Marjorie J. Fox said police found 13 bricks of heroin that would yield about 672 stamp bags with a street value of at least $16,000.
Fox said previously that 3 ounces of powder cocaine worth an estimated street value of $3,600 was also found, in addition to 4 ounces of marijuana, a digital scale, a hand-held postage scale and $4,500 in cash.
After finding the drugs in the car, police issued arrest warrants for all three men and began searching for McNett and Taylor. Hutchinson was already in Greene County Prison on unrelated charges.
Police said they are still looking for one man involved with McNett.
Ian Nakonechni, no address available, is wanted for hindering apprehension, according to police.
Anyone with information about Nakonechni is asked to call the Waynesburg state police barracks at 724-627-6151.