May 5, 2007 By Josh Krysak 5 min read

In the seventh major drug bust in a month, local law enforcement officials uncovered a cache of drugs, weapons and cash and filed charges against a Uniontown man. State police said Michael Aaron Howard, 32, of 111 Jefferson St. was charged Friday before Magisterial District Judge Mark L. Blair with possession with intent to deliver drugs within 1,000 feet of a school zone and possession of a controlled substance.

Howard’s home is located one block from Uniontown Area High School, police said.

Howard was arraigned and released on a $25,000 unsecured bond, police said.

Fayette County District Attorney Nancy D. Vernon declined to comment on the bond amount set by Blair and said her job is to prosecute cases, adding that setting an unsecured bond for Howard is within Blair’s authority as district judge.

According to state police trooper Charles Morrison, police raided Howard’s home at 9:15 a.m., after they secured a search warrant for the home following recent tips.

Morrison said that as a team of officers approached the residence, Howard looked out a window and then locked the door.

After police gained entry into the home, Howard pulled his daughter, a toddler, in front of him to use her like a shield as officers moved into the home, police said. He was taken into custody without incident and his daughter was turned over to family, police said.

Once inside, Morrison said police discovered about one pound of marijuana, seven guns, ammunition, a money counter, more than $33,000 in cash and drug packaging material.

Police also found safety deposit box keys, which led to the discovery of another $12,000 in cash, police said.

Morrison said the guns – a Tech 9mm, a sawed-off Mossberg 500, a Glock 9mm, a .357-caliber Rossi revolver, a .40-caliber Desert Eagle, a Smith & Wesson 9mm and a Heritage Rough Rider .22-caliber magnum revolver – were found throughout the home, with several loaded with clips capable of holding up to 30 rounds of ammunition.

Additionally, police said they found clips and ammunition for three more guns, including an SKS assault rifle, which were not found in the home.

Morrison said the money was discovered in a basement safe that was cracked by a locksmith.

Officials said that Howard already had been released from custody following his arraignment before officers had removed all evidence from the home.

Vernon said the significant bust is another step toward reducing drug trafficking.

“I want to commend the state police for working with the drug task force,” Vernon said. “We might not be winning the war on drugs but we are making a serious dent.”

Vernon said that while the county always has been working on eliminating drugs in the region, she confirmed that investigations have intensified over the last few months.

The raid was conducted by state police, Uniontown police and the Fayette County Drug Task Force.

Howard has a prior criminal history of weapons-related charges. In 1993, he was charged with carrying a firearm without a license and possession of a firearm.

Both charges were first-degree misdemeanors. Then-magisterial district judge Herbert Mitchell committed Howard to prison on $25,000 bond when he was arrested.

Jurors convicted Howard of both counts in November 1994, and then-judge William J. Franks sentenced Howard to two to 18 months in the county lockup.

Howard was paroled in March 1995 and released from his parole in July 1996.

In 2001, Howard was charged with possession and possession with intent to deliver drugs stemming from a December 1999 case.

He pleaded guilty to both charges in August 2002, but withdrew his plea one month later.

In August 2003, Judge John F. Wagner Jr. dismissed the charges.

The raid Friday came just two days after the Fayette County Drug Task Force netted drugs, cash and guns when it raided two homes on Lenox Street in Uniontown Wednesday morning.

Uniontown police Detective Donald M. Gmitter said that police found three grams of marijuana, more than $1,000 in cash, a digital scale, a .22-caliber rifle and other suspected drugs at 49 Lenox St., Uniontown. Gmitter said that police also seized three glass vials with suspected liquid PCP.

At the second house, located at 72 Lenox St., Uniontown, Gmitter said officers found 32 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, cash and a .22-caliber Magnum revolver.

Those raids came just two days after state police discovered a kilogram of cocaine in a car in Uniontown as well as more than 15 grams of marijuana in another vehicle during routine traffic stops.

On April 8, police discovered of a kilogram of cocaine, several grams of marijuana, $550 in cash, a loaded gun, multiple locked safes and several other prohibited offensive weapons in a home at 24 Millview St. in Uniontown, police said.

On April 3, Gmitter said task force members uncovered three marijuana plants, 47 marijuana seeds, four plastic bags of crack and a .32-caliber automatic weapon in a home outfitted with door barricades at 116 Shaffer St. in Uniontown.

Anyone with information regarding drug activity can call the drug task force at 724-425-1768, the Uniontown police at 724-430-2929 and the state police at 724-437-9111.