Police: Fentanyl, crystal meth seized in raid at New Kensington home

Police charged two New Kensington men with conspiring to sell fentanyl and methamphetamine after significant amounts of the drugs were confiscated during a raid at one of their homes Monday evening.

Andrew Michael Slywczuk, 38, of the 400 block of Charles Avenue and Shawnti Eugene Shifflett, 26, of the 500 block of Fifth Avenue were charged with two felony counts of possession of drugs with the intent to deliver, and a felony count of conspiracy to sell drugs, along with counts of possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Slywczuk was being detained in the Westmoreland County jail in lieu of a $100,000 cash bond, according to court records.

Shifflett was released from custody on a $20,000 unsecured bond, records show.

Also arrested during the raid was Khayla Jean Loughner, 32, of the 1200 block of Eighth Avenue in Harrison, who was charged with two misdemeanor drug counts. She was being detained in the Westmoreland County jail after failing to post 10% of a $5,000 bond.

One of three other people who were detained, Raphael Angel Geiger, 30, of New Kensington also faces misdemeanor drug charges.

Slywczuk, Shifflett and Loughner face preliminary hearings Sept. 8 before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. A date for a hearing before the judge has not been scheduled for Geiger.

Officers from the state Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and New Kensington police were outside Slywczuk’s Charles Avenue home about 6 p.m. Monday conducting surveillance as they awaited additional officers to arrive to help execute a search warrant, according to a criminal complaint.

Officers detained Shifflett as he left the rear of the home and tried to get into a vehicle, police said.

Slywczuk was taken into custody after police entered the home and found him outside the master bedroom. Loughner was arrested in another bedroom.

Investigators said they confiscated 200 stamp bags of fentanyl labeled “Gamer” in the master bedroom. Another 30 stamp bags of the drug were discovered in a safe after Slywczuk provided them with the code, according to the complaint.

Police also confiscated two digital scales along with partially filled and empty stamp bags, the complaint said.

During the search, police found two baggies with more than 102 grams of crystal methamphetamine hidden in the basement drop ceiling after Slywczuk told them Shifflett sometimes hides drugs there, according to the complaint.