According to Ambridge Police Chief James Mann, the investigation started back in February spearheaded by the Butler Attorney General’s office in conjunction with the office’s Drug Task Force.
Back in February, agents had been making controlled buys of heroin and cocaine from Parker’s apartment in the Virginia Terrace Apartments.
On Wednesday, agents typed up a search warrant that was signed by Judge Andrew Hladio. Drug Task Force officers from Ambridge, Baden, Harmony Township, Aliquippa, Conway and Beaver Falls executed the search warrant at 10 a.m. Thursday to Parker’s Baden apartment.
“We entered the apartment. Mr. Parker was sleeping. He was obviously taken by surprise. He wasn’t complying initially with our orders to get down on the ground. He actually tried to make it back into his bedroom. We subdued him and handcuffed him.”
In searching the apartment, police found 49.8 grams of heroin in a master bedroom dresser drawers; 27.5 grams of powder cocaine; 22 grams of crack-cocaine; a half ounce of marijuana; and 37 ecstasy pills. They also found digital scales; boxes of glassine packages used for heroin, clear sandwich bags, coffee grinders, small food processors used to mix heroin cutting agents, all of which are indicative of drug trafficking.
Police also recovered a stolen, fully-loaded .380 semi-automatic hand gun with one in the chamber, reported stolen in April from Findlay Township. They also found an SKS AK-47 style assault rifle. Ammunition for the stolen pistol was recovered and two holsters, one of which was on Parker’s pants.
Parker, formerly of Aliquippa, is on state parole and a detainer was issued for him Thursday afternoon.
He was arraigned Thursday afternoon by Hladio and placed in Beaver County Jail, unable to post a $100,000 cash bond.
“We have a partnership with the Butler Office of Attorney General’s Office and they do wonderful things for this area,” Mann said. “There’s not an outside agency that’s helped Ambridge more than the Butler Co. Attorney General’s office. They’re doing an excellent job for us. Harmony, Baden—the whole area here.”