2 suspects accused of running drug ring in New Kensington headed to county court

The criminal cases against two of three people accused of running a drug ring out of a New Kensington home are proceeding to Westmoreland County court after the suspects waived hearings in district court.

David T. Trent, 37, and Jonelle McCandless, 33, are scheduled to be arraigned in Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court on Dec. 23.

Trent remains in the county jail on $250,000 bond, while the state Attorney General’s office approved reducing McCandless’ $100,000 bond to an unsecured bond, allowing her to live with a Butler County relative while awaiting her next hearing.

The third suspect, 33-year-old Reuben D. Williams, asked for his preliminary hearing to be rescheduled to next month so he could have time to consult with an attorney. He remains in jail on $250,000 bond.

The three face charges of participating in a corrupt organization, conspiracy and drug-related offenses. Williams was separately charged with an illegal gun possession charge, according to court records.

Authorities said they found 1,400 stamp bags of the powerful opioid painkiller fentanyl inside a Leishman Avenue house where they were living, along with crack cocaine, marijuana, nearly $700 in cash, an unregistered gun and drug paraphernalia.

A fourth person charged in connection with the case, 25-year-old Alexis Dyshon Pryor, also waived a hearing in district court on Wednesday. Police said she lived in the Leishman Avenue home with her 4-year-old son, but was not part of the alleged drug ring.

Pryor, who doesn’t have a criminal record, had applied for a public defender but wasn’t represented at Wednesday’s hearing. Prosecutors dropped one of two felony drug charges against her, but she remains accused of conspiracy to manufacture or have drugs and a lesser drug charge.