Police say gun fell from man's pants while frisked in arrest for not paying child support

A Vandergrift man was charged with illegal possession of a firearm after a pistol fell out of his pants leg while officers were arresting him on a warrant for failing to pay child support, police said.

William Dante Charles, 41, of the 300 block of Longfellow Street, was charged with a felony after Vandergrift police responded to a call for an argument at his home on Feb. 23.

He is being detained in the Westmoreland County jail after failing to post a $10,000 cash bond, according to court records. Charles faces a preliminary hearing before District Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec on March 15.

Police responding to a 911 call about a domestic dispute found Charles and another man arguing loudly when they arrived at his house and were let inside, according to a criminal complaint.

Officers said they had to separate the two men and that Charles repeatedly tried to push past officers to leave the house.

Charles was placed under arrest after police learned he had an arrest warrant for failing to pay child support, the complaint said.

Investigators said Charles tried to walk away from them while being escorted from the house and was moving from side to side while an officer tried to search him before placing him in a cruiser, according to his arrest papers.

During the pat-down, a 9mm pistol loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition fell out of Charles’ pants leg onto the ground, police said.

Charles told officers that the gun belonged to his girlfriend, but she told them she had never seen the weapon before, the complaint said.

Police said Charles is not permitted to possess a firearm because he pleaded guilty in 2019 to felony drug charges.