Jeannette man held without bond on drug charges

A Jeannette man was arraigned Thursday after police reported finding a large amount of cocaine and a drug packaging station in a house where he lived, according to court papers.

Michael Anthony Dewberry, 33, was being held in the Westmoreland County Prison without bond.

Agents from the state attorney general’s office and members of the Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force served a search warrant at a South Seventh Street home on Oct. 19. Police said Dewberry was wanted on several arrest warrants and a narcotics investigation led authorities to the Jeannette home.

Inside, police said they found Dewberry, three other adults and four children. A large amount of cocaine was found separated into five bags in a bedroom chest of drawers that appeared to contain items belonging to Dewberry, according to court papers.

About $4,500 was found in another drawer, police said.

In the basement, authorities found a work bench and microwave that appeared to be used in packaging drugs, according to court papers.

“No food items were located in or near the microwave that would have indicated that it was used for cooking food items,” Agent Jerry Vernail wrote in the complaint.

Police said a white powder residue was found on the microwave’s turntable and on measuring cups, strainers and digital scales. A pistol was wrapped in a rag in a drawer on the work bench, according to court papers.

Dewberry is charged with drug offenses, conspiracy and a weapons violation. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. No charges have been filed against the three other adults.

Dewberry is awaiting trial in three drug cases — two in Westmoreland from 2017 and one in Allegheny filed last year, according to online court records. He was sentenced in May 2019 to two years of probation in connection with simple assault and terroristic threats charges filed in Westmoreland County.