SLIPPERY ROCK — A finance major at Slippery Rock University faces drug charges.

Logan R. Sheridan, 20, of New Brighton, Beaver County, faces a preliminary hearing next month on felony and misdemeanor drug charges.

Slippery Rock police last week charged Sheridan after they examined his cell phone and found dozens of text messages indicating he was selling marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to court documents.

One other text, police said, suggested he was peddling prescription pills.

The police investigation began with a traffic stop about 2:10 a.m. Feb. 12 when Patrolman Jake Ingram pulled over Sheridan’s car for having a burned out license plate light while traveling on Franklin Street.

The officer said he smelled a “strong odor” of alcohol in the car. He also smelled marijuana.

Inside the vehicle were four passengers, none of whom was over 20 years old, police said.

Sheridan later admitted being at a party where he drank three beers, police said. He also acknowledged that he regularly smokes marijuana.

A breath test subsequently showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.124 percent, documents said. Under state law, drivers younger than 21 who have a level of more than 0.02 percent are considered to be legally intoxicated.

A search of Sheridan’s car turned up a Mason jar containing 12.1 grams of marijuana, police said.

Among other items seized were a prescription bottle containing 80 Adderall pills, a scale, $461 in currency and a cell phone.

Police on March 1 obtained a search warrant for the suspect’s cell phone. That search, documents said, revealed 30 texts between Sheridan and others “in regards to him selling marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia.”

Ingram said he also discovered a text in which the defendant was offering to sell Adderall pills to another person.

Adderall is a drug commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The phone search also turned up allegedly compromising pictures.

“There were numerous photographs of Sheridan using marijuana,” according to a police affidavit, “along with photographs of him in possession with marijuana with intent to distribute.”

One of the photos, Ingram said, showed Sheridan holding on his lap what appeared to be a one gallon-sized Ziploc bag filled with marijuana.

District Judge Bill O’Donnell on March 21 arraigned Sheridan on two counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, a felony, and possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and driving under the influence by a minor, all misdemeanors.

The defendant was released on $10,000 unsecured bail. His preliminary hearing is set for April 26 at O’Donnell’s office in Slippery Rock.

Sheridan’s attorney, David Shrager of Pittsburgh, declined to comment on the specific allegations but he promised to contest the charges.

“Our intention is to defend the case vigorously,” he said Monday, “and hold the Commonwealth to its burden.”

An SRU spokesman said the defendant is a junior majoring in finance.