Two men police accused of selling drugs from a Center Avenue residence acted as their own attorneys at a preliminary hearing Monday morning.

Michael Guerriero and Christopher D. Reinhart, both 44 and of Butler, were taken into custody Thursday, March 23, following a drug bust where police said they discovered fentanyl and suspected crack cocaine.

Both men were charged with three counts of felony drug sales and misdemeanor use and possession of drug paraphernalia. Guerriero additionally was charged with a misdemeanor of tampering with evidence.

The men decided to proceed to a hearing without representation before District Judge William Fullerton.

“The truth can come out here and now,” Guerriero said.

J.P. Kulzer, assistant district attorney, questioned Ryan Doctor, city police officer, about the search warrant execution Thursday morning.

Doctor said the Center Avenue residence had been part of an investigation since December 2022, and he testified that drugs and paraphernalia were found in three rooms that day.

A crack pipe, digital scale and multiple cellphones were found in the living area, police said. Fourteen stamp bags containing suspected fentanyl and 9.3 grams of suspected crack cocaine were found in the bathroom toilet bowl, according to documents.

Syringes, stamp bags, another cellphone and digital scale were found in the basement where Reinhart lived, Doctor added.

Reinhart told officers in a later interview that the two sold drugs to support their addictions, according to the affidavit.

During the hearing, Guerriero said the drugs officers found in the toilet were what he had on him at the time and weren’t for sale.

“The drug’s in the toilet were what I was ingesting into me,” he said. “We were addicts, we were using, I did not sell, I had no sales.”

Fullerton and Guerriero continued back and forth about the testimony presented, and Guerriero said the delivery charges were not accurate to the situation.

Guerriero then initially refused to sign a form given to him when Fullerton decided to move the charges forward to common pleas court.

“I’m not signing (redacted), just get me back to the jail,” he said.

Fullerton strongly advised that both men apply for representation before their next court date.