New Kensington man guilty in case of meth lab found in parent's basement

The lawyer for a New Kensington man convicted last week by a Westmoreland County jury of six offenses in connection with a methamphetamine lab found in the basement of his parents’ home vowed to appeal the guilty verdict.

Following two days of testimony, the jury on Oct. 8 found Sean Christopher Smith, 35, guilty on multiple charges of possession of drugs used to make methamphetamines and two additional offenses of reckless endangerment. The jury acquitted Smith of one charge of operating a meth lab.

“I’m not sure the evidence that came out at trial proved he was connected in any fashion to the operation (of the meth lab),” defense attorney Greg Cecchetti said of the verdict.

Smith, according to court records, was taken into custody in March 2020 on an outstanding arrest warrant. When investigators searched his parents’ Third Avenue home in New Kensington, they found equipment used to make methamphetamines and about 400 grams of the drug, police said.

Investigators said Smith admitted he previously attempted to manufacture the drugs but hadn’t done so in about a year.

Five prosecution witnesses testified during the trial. The defense offered no testimony but argued the only evidence that linked Smith to the meth lab was a July 2019 purchase of over-the-counter medicine commonly used to manufacture methamphetamine, Cecchetti said.

Assistant District Attorney Leo Ciaramitaro said that evidence along with Smith’s statement to police and testimony about his access to the equipment in his parents’ basement proved his involvement with the meth lab.

“Our office continues to take a hard stance on the production of drugs and we will continue to root out producers and distributors of controlled substances in our county,” Ciaramitaro said.

Ciaramitaro said Smith potentially faces 20 years in prison when he is sentenced in about three months by Westmoreland County Judge Scott Mears. Smith will remain in jail pending his sentencing hearing.