Former Arnold police chief Eric Doutt arrested on state drug charges
The state Attorney General’s Office arrested Eric Doutt, a former Arnold police chief and New Kensington-Arnold School Board member, Thursday on drug charges in Armstrong County.
Doutt, 56, of Arnold, was arraigned Thursday before District Judge Kevin McCausland, online court records indicate.
The state Attorney General’s Office filed six felony counts of manufacture, delivery or possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance, and a single charge of criminal use of a communication facility. The charges stem from an alleged incident Oct. 23 in Rayburn Township, according to court records.
Online paperwork does not give details of the circumstances that led to the arrest.
An online profile indicates Doutt was most recently working as a police officer for UPMC. UPMC, and a spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office, did not immediately return a request for comment Thursday night.
Doutt began working at the Arnold Police Department in 1990 in many roles, from patrolman to chief, until his retirement Jan. 1, 2024.
An attempt to reach Doutt on Thursday night was unsuccessful. Court records did not list an attorney for Doutt.
Doutt was unable to post $250,000 bail, according to online records and is being held in the Armstrong County Jail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled Nov. 19 before District Judge Kenneth Bussard.
Kellen Stepler is a TribLive reporter covering the Allegheny Valley and Burrell school districts and surrounding areas. He joined the Trib in April 2023. He can be reached at kstepler@triblive.com.
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