Man gets prison sentence
A Butler man was sentenced to state prison in several drug-related cases against him in Butler County Court on Thursday.
Robert M. Pacelli, 47, was sentenced to an aggregate of two to four years in state prison, as well as probation and fines by county Judge Timothy McCune.
He previously pleaded guilty to two felony counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin, misdemeanor driving under the influence, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and summary driving on a suspended license on June 1.
He was also ordered to pay court costs, $400 in fines and complete 60 hours of community service.
Pacelli was initially charged in several cases, including misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and summary public drunkenness after an incident in Butler on May 18, 2016, when he was found unresponsive in a vehicle in the 200 block of East Brady Street. Butler police said inside the vehicle were three stamp bags of suspected heroin, four baggies of suspected crack cocaine, two crack pipes and a syringe. He was arraigned and released on his own recognizance.
On June 13, 2016, he was then charged with felony possession with intent to deliver, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, summary driving on a suspended license and reckless driving following a police chase in Butler.
Butler police said Pacelli was allegedly driving on West Penn Street when an officer attempted to pull him over. The vehicle then drove off, running stop signs and driving at unsafe speeds with pedestrians in the area, before stopping back near West Penn Street.
In the car, police said they found 27 bags of suspected heroin, a glass pipe with suspected burnt cocaine residue, a container with four pills, a digital scale, a cell phone and a tablet with names and numbers of several known drug dealers.
He was arraigned and held on $50,000 bail, which was later changed and he was released on his own recognizance.
On Jan. 14, 2017, he was then charged with two felony counts of possession with intent to distribute, misdemeanor possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, DUI controlled substance, four counts of possession of a controlled substance, summary public drunkenness and driving on a suspended license after an incident at the GetGo convenience store on Route 8 North, Butler Township, where he was found asleep in a running vehicle and in possession of 57 stamp bags of suspected heroin, four baggies of suspected crack, five packages of Suboxone, prescription medication, suspected marijuana, rolling papers, $200 in currency, hypodermic needles and other drug contraband, and more than 80 unused stamp bags, presumably to be used to package heroin.
He was arraigned and held in Butler County Prison on $30,000 bail since Jan. 15.
