Eric Doutt, a former Arnold police chief, is awaiting another court date after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Armstrong County on several felony charges.

Doutt, 56, of Arnold was arrested Nov. 13 in connection with a drug investigation by the state Attorney General’s Office. He was arrested in East Franklin, after he was followed from a meeting with an informant during which, police say, he sold cocaine to the informant.

State investigators say it was at least the third such meeting they documented between the informant and Doutt. In each of the meetings, investigators say, the informant was given recorded money he gave to Doutt in exchange for cocaine. All of the meetings were viewed and recorded by multiple investigators, according to court documents.

Doutt was an Arnold police officer and chief until his retirement Jan. 1, 2024. He previously served on the New Kensington-Arnold School Board. He was most recently employed as a police officer for UPMC. A spokesperson there told TribLive on Monday they had since terminated his employment.

Doutt waived the hearing scheduled to examine seven felony counts of drug-related charges in front of East Franklin District Judge Kenneth Bussard in Armstrong County.

“For today’s purposes, we waived with a reservation to have a preliminary hearing in the future,” said Doutt’s attorney, Phil DiLucente. “It just made economical sense from a lot of different standpoints of what’s going on.”

On Monday, District Judge Jason Buczak in Westmoreland County ordered Doutt to stand trial on theft, receiving stolen property, obstruction and drug-related charges after a search of his home allegedly turned up cocaine and items reported missing from the city’s police department.

DiLucente said Doutt was given two preliminary hearing dates because charges were filed in Westmoreland and Armstrong counties.

“In Westmoreland County on Monday, we had a very long preliminary hearing involving the guns, the shackles, the jackets, the radios, as well as cocaine,” DiLucente said. “Today’s case was strictly cocaine and selling of the same.”

Authorities said during Doutt’s hearing Monday that a search warrant was served on his home in Arnold.

State narcotics Agent Douglas Brink testified Monday that Doutt told investigators an AR-15 rifle was inside his house and that it was taken from the Arnold police evidence room.

The gun was evidence from a prior case when Doutt was working for the Arnold police department, investigators said.

Brink testified that detectives had also found cocaine, scales and a bag containing what they say is a cutting agent, lidocaine hydrochloride. Other items found in Doutt’s residence included a set of leg shackles with “APD” engraved on them, a portable radio reported missing from the department, and an Arnold police jacket also reported missing, authorities said.

“They are precipitous allegations,” DiLucente said. “I mean, these are extremely serious, dangerous charges.”

DiLucente said that while he couldn’t speak for either county, he hopes prosecutors will combine the cases being brought against Doutt.

DiLucente said Doutt stands to potentially face jail time and could lose his $1 million pension if found guilty of the charges. He said Doutt has been a “tad distraught” while facing the charges.

“When you’re in a vulnerable position of touching and dealing with certain things over time, things can happen,” DiLucente said. “That doesn’t mean that somebody’s strong or weak. They’re just in a vulnerable position.”

He said the next steps for Doutt are formal arraignments. A formal arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 30 before Judge Scott O. Mears in Westmoreland County. A formal arraignment in Armstrong County has not yet been scheduled.

Doutt remains free on a $250,000 bond.

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