A Vandergrift patrolman at first used his nose to find drugs in a Lowell Street house early Sunday.
The officer was investigating a call about possible drugs first smelled smoke, and then marijuana, along the 200 block of Lowell Street, police said.
Sgt. Tony DePanicis said the patrolman, Jared Kepple, smelled marijuana smoke at about 1 a.m. Sunday when driving to the house.
As Kepple and his partner, Joseph Albaugh, walked up on the porch from where the smoke was emanating through an open window, police say they could see into the house. People inside apparently were hiding what appeared to be drugs, DePanicis said.
“One of the officers detained the three people inside and the other officer went for a search warrant,” DiPanicis said.
Once a district judge issued the warrant, the officers searched the house.
DiPanicis said the officers found two pounds of marijuana, a 12-gauge shotgun and drug paraphernalia.
Ronald A. McManus III, 22, who was living at the address, and Drew A. Lamison, 29, of Chamberlain Street, Leechburg, are accused of having marijuana with intent of selling it. They are also charged with having drug paraphernalia and illegal drug possession.
A third person was detained temporarily but not charged.
McManus and Lamison were arraigned and their bonds were set at $5,000 each.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for McManus and Lamison by District Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec on Oct. 3.
Chuck Biedka is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-226-4711, cbiedka@tribweb.com or via Twitter @ChuckBiedka.
credit:triblive.com