Preliminary hearings continued for brothers
WAYNESBURG – Preliminary hearings were continued until next week for two Greene County brothers who were arrested on various drug charges after police investigated a tip from a confidential informant. Brent O’Connor, 19, and Jonathan Robert O’Connor, 25, both of Carmichaels, were arraigned by Cumberland Township police officers on June 22 before Magisterial District Judge Lee Watson. Brent O’Connor was charged with one felony count of manufacturing a controlled substance, 11 misdemeanor counts of possession of heroin and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Jonathan O’Connor was charged with one misdemeanor count of possession of heroin and four misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to criminal complaints filed in Watson’s office, the brothers were arrested after a Cumberland Township patrolman received information from an informant that the suspects were allegedly selling heroin at a Cumberland Village residence on June 22.
Hanley and two other police officers went to the residence to speak with the O’Connors and a woman answered when they knocked on the door, the complaint states.
The woman led the officers into a room occupied by the brothers, and police told them they were at the house because they received word that the brothers had allegedly sold heroin to someone, which the O’Connors denied.
Jonathan O’Connor then began emptying his pockets and police identified what was believed to be three empty heroin stamp bags; police also found a full stamp bag of suspected heroin marked “Magic City” inside a cigarette pack that belonged to Jonathan O’Connor, the complaint states.
At the same time, another police officer was speaking to Brent O’Connor, who pulled out a pill case from his pocket containing 11 “Magic City” stamp bags of suspected heroin and $230 in cash, according to reports.
When police asked the brothers if there was anything else in the residence, they answered no, but officers observed a safe key on a keychain.
When they asked Brent O’Connor if there was anything in a nearby safe, he said there wasn’t. However, police found a glass smoking device with suspected marijuana residue, the complaint states.
Following arraignment, bail for Brent O’Connor was set at $15,000 straight and bail for Jonathan O’Connor was set at $10,000 straight. Both remain in Greene County Jail on bail.
Their preliminary hearings were initially set for June 30 but were continued until July 7.