Pittsburgh man sentenced in drug possession case in Westmoreland County

A Pittsburgh man was sentenced Monday to serve up to six years in prison for possession of heroin found during an early morning traffic stop last year in Salem.

Nicholas Antonio Miller, 31, of Brookline, pleaded guilty to two felony drug counts and one misdemeanor offense. His vehicle was pulled over by police Sept 12 as he drove along Route 22.

Police found 50 bricks of heroin, or 2,500 small stamp bags of the drug, in the vehicle along with two ounces of fentanyl and a loaded handgun, according to court records.

Police did not disclose the initial reason for the 2:15 a.m. traffic stop.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rita Hathaway ordered Miller serve a 2 1/2-to-6 year prison sentence. Miller’s trial had been scheduled to begin next week.

Miller’s two passengers, Samantina Maria Perri, 30, of Crafton, and Joseph J. Baughman, 38, of Green Tree, were charged with conspiracy and manufacture, delivery or possession of illegal drugs with the intent to deliver.

Perri faces an additional charge that she initially gave police a false identity. In addition to the drug charges, Baughman was charged with a firearms offense.

Both are being held at the Westmoreland County Prison in lieu of $300,000 bonds.

According to court records, Perri and Baughman have challenged the police searches of their homes and of Perri’s telephone following their arrests. The judge has yet to rule on those pretrial motions.

Baughman and Perri’s trials are scheduled to begin in October.