RSS | 
Twitter
| 
Be a fan!
Disturbance leads to drug arrest
Staff writer
A Monongahela man who was creating a disturbance inside a Finleyville bar early Thursday was arrested by Monongahela police.
Rate This Story:
1 the lowest - 5 the highest
Current rating:
Monongahela police Chief Brian Tempest said police were called about 1:30 a.m. to Badlands Bar on Washington Avenue for a man who might be carrying a gun and was creating a disturbance.
Police received a description of the man involved from witnesses. Babich was found at a gasoline station on Washington Avenue.
Babich had suspected oxycodone in his possession, police said. Tempest said he also had a laminated $1 bill that he could insert in vending machines.
"The machines read the bill and then dispense the item," Tempest said. "He put the bill in the slot and pulled it back out."
Tempest said police also executed the warrant obtained by the task force. Babich reportedly sold cocaine to task force detectives in the New Eagle area.
"Babich is the 20th person taken off the streets in the Monongahela area by the task force," Tempest said Thursday. "In all of last year, there were 20 arrests, so halfway through this year we've already reached that total."
Tempest said in the years before District Attorney Steven Toprani took over the task force, just a handful of drug arrests were made in the communities patrolled by city police.
Babich was charged by Monongahela police with possession and possession with intent to deliver oxycodone, possessing an instrument of a crime, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. He was arraigned before District Judge Mark Wilson, who set bond at $25,000.
Wilson also arraigned Babich on charges of possession and possession with intent to deliver cocaine. He placed an additional $25,000 bond on Babich, who was taken to Washington County Jail.
Task force detectives also made two unrelated drug arrests Thursday on warrants issued by District Judge Curtis Thompson.
Adam Washlack, 26, of 129 Pittsburgh Road, Bentleyville, was charged with possession and possession with intent to deliver heroin. He allegedly sold four bags of heroin to a task force detective for $40 on May 27 near the intersection of Garden and Smith streets in Bentleyville.
Justin J. Townsend, 22, of 48 Grant St., Cokeburg, is charged with two counts each of possession and possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession and possession with intent to deliver marijuana. He is accused of twice selling cocaine to a task force detective for $50 and selling marijuana on June 1 for $30. The sales allegedly occurred at his home.
Both men were arraigned before Wilson and placed in jail on $10,000 bond.
ARREST,S : 7/3/2009
IT DOES NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE HOW MANY IS TAKEN OFF THE STREETS,, WE HAVE JUDGES WHO GIVE PROBATION FOR THE HARD WORK THE TASK FORCE IS DOING,
WOW : 7/3/2009
Why is Mon City the only place that the so called great task force makes arrests. Washington County is so large and the only place that arrests are made is in the city. What a joke that is. All of Washington County has drug dealers but when they bust 1 two are born. What a waste of taxpayer dollars. Good 1 Steve Tropani
