By Linda Metz, Staff writer

lmetz@observer-reporter.com

A series of witnesses testified Friday that former Fallowfield Township police Capt. Allen E. Pettit had a long history of drug use.

And, according to those witnesses, Pettit often supplied them and others with drugs he personally purchased from dealers or obtained from the township police department's evidence locker.

Pettit, 46, of 824 Maple St., Harwick, Allegheny County, formerly of South Franklin Township, was held for court on charges of theft by unlawful taking, perjury, hindering apprehension, tampering with evidence and obstructing the administration of law following a preliminary hearing before District Judge Larry Hopkins.

Pettit was arrested in October at his home, where he moved recently while working as a part-time police officer for Springdale Township.

He is accused of stealing nearly a pound of marijuana and 5 ounces of cocaine that were confiscated during a February 1, 2006, raid on a Van Voohris residence.

Jason Taylor, who was living with Pettit in Harwick at the time of his arrest, provided key testimony during Friday's hearing.

Taylor, who admitted he is a recovering drug addict, said he has known Pettit for about 10 years. He was introduced to Pettit by former South Strabane Township police officer Jim Henderson. Taylor said during that time he often did drugs with Pettit, either cocaine or marijuana. He said that on several occasions he had even done drugs with Pettit at the Fallowfield Township police station while Pettit was on duty.

He also said Pettit would have "get-togethers" at his South Franklin Township home two or three times a week.

During their mutual drug use, Taylor said Pettit told him he obtained drugs from the evidence room at Fallowfield Township.

Taylor specifically remembered that on March 17, 2006, Pettit picked him up in his car at a gas station in Houston. Upon taking him back to South Franklin, he said Pettit showed him drugs that were in the trunk of his vehicle.

"The drugs were in a manila envelope and marked evidence," Taylor said.

Taylor said he fully remembered the date and incident because it was two days before his birthday, and being an addict, he was thrilled to see so much free drugs. Taylor said he took a bag of marijuana for himself, and the other drugs he did with Pettit. The drugs ran out about five days later, he said.

According to evidence provided by the prosecution, March 17, 2006, was the same day that the state police crime lab in Greensburg had released to Pettit the drugs that were confiscated in the raid a month prior. The drugs were taken to the lab for testing on Feb. 2, 2006, by former Fallowfield Township police Chief William Ritenour.

Upon cross-examination by Pettit's attorney, Sam Pangburn, Taylor admitted to having received immunity from Washington County District Attorney Steven Toprani in exchange for his testimony. However, Taylor said the deal only entailed his not being charged for drug use.

First Assistant District Attorney Craig R. McKay confirmed that a written agreement had been reached with Taylor.

Three other people - Bryan S. Stewart, Dale Allen Smelko and Shane R. Lembly - also testified to repeatedly doing drugs with Pettit. Each of the men said he had known Pettit for many years and would go to his house to do drugs.

Stewart and Lemley admitted to having criminal records, but only for driving under the influence. Only Lemley said he was told that the district attorney's office "might be able to work with him" on a pending DUI case.

Each of the men also testified that Pettit would often provide drugs that he got from the police department.

Washington County Chief Detective Michael Aaron said he was instructed by Toprani on Aug. 18 to investigate the missing drugs. The district attorney was considering dropping charges against the defendant who was arrested in connection with the 2006 drug raid because the evidence was missing.

The investigation was sparked by the Observer-Reporter's inquiries into the case following a hearing before Washington County Judge John DiSalle, at which time prosecutors said they could still try the case against Charles Paith, but only if Pettit would testify in court in regard to the drugs. However, Pettit's background posed problems.

Pettit resigned from the township police department in October 2006 amid an investigation into his use of the township credit card to purchase gasoline for himself and a friend.

In July 2007, Pettit pleaded guilty to theft and was sentenced to 12 months of probation.

The Observer-Reporter then determined that Pettit never reported his conviction to the Municipal Police Officers Training and Education Commission, which oversees certification for municipal police officers. A MPOTEC spokesman said police officers are required to report any criminal conviction.

Pettit also failed to give the information to Springdale Township Police Department, where he had been working as a part-time officer. Pettit was immediately released from the force.

Authorities said Aaron's investigation determined that Pettit had repeatedly lied about the drugs.

In April 18, 2007, during a suppression hearing on the Paith case before DiSalle, Pettit testified that the drugs had been destroyed because cases against four other defendants were dismissed and the police department forgot that Paith's case was ongoing.

In September 2007, Pettit left two voicemail messages on former District Attorney Gene Vittone's cell phone stating that he couldn't find the drugs and he believed that they were destroyed by Ritenour. Vittone was the district attorney in charge of prosecuting the case at that time.

Vittone, who is now in private practice, said he kept the messages because he had known Ritenour and found it unusual that the former chief would do such a thing.

Aaron said he talked to Ritenour, who denied destroying any drugs prior to his retirement. Ritenour said he did destroy various guns and sharp-edged items at the instruction of the township supervisors, but they were all documented, photographed and witnessed.

With the defense offering no testimony at the preliminary hearing, Hopkins ordered that the case move to trial. He also denied a request by Pangburn that Pettit's bond be lowered from $50,000 straight to $5,000 percentage bond.

Pettit was returned to Washington County Jail, where he has been since his arrest.

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