The Greensburg police chief will face six federal drug charges after being caught serving as a go-between for those buying and selling drugs, according to documents from the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Shawn Denning, 41, of Delmont, Westmoreland County, stands accused of facilitating the sale of cocaine and methanphetamine to a confidential informant reporting to a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration special agent.

Denning was released on $250,000 unsecured bond after a hearing on Wednesday.

Five of the charges are for aiding and abetting the attempted distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine or cocaine.

The sixth charge is conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute quantities of Schedule II controlled substances, specifically methamphetamine and cocaine.

Denning from June 2021 to October 2022 provided the confidential informant with sources in California and Arizona from whom he could buy the drugs.

Denning intervened for the confidential informant when the drugs did not arrive fast enough, and gave the informant a set of cornhole bean bags to partially compensate for one delivery not arriving.

He reiterated more than once to the informant that he doesn’t “mess with” drugs, but that his girlfriend is addicted to Adderall, which is a stimulant containing methanphetamine that is often prescribed for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder.

Part of the alleged crimes occurred when Denning was a captain with the Greesburg Police Department, and part occurred after he was promoted to chief in March 2022, the documents state.

Denning was arrested on Wednesday morning at the Greensburg Police Department and made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maureen P. Kelly via video.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday.