State police filed felony drug charges against four county residents on Thursday, Nov. 7, following an investigation based on recorded phone calls made from the Butler County Prison.

Clint E. Nagle, 40, of Butler; Jason Prementine, 52, of Slippery Rock; Benjamin A. Mauthe, 41, of Butler; and Kaitlyn A. Dempsey, 35, of Butler have been charged with felony counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, conspiracy, criminal use of a communication facility and possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor conspiracy.

The investigation led to an Aug. 19 search of Nagle’s home on Jamisonville Road in Center Township and the seizure of 13.7 grams of methamphetamine and an unspecified quantity of psychedelic mushrooms. A search of Mauthe’s home on Caravan Lane in Center Township and a vehicle resulted in the seizure of 33.76 grams of methamphetamine and 5.89 grams of THC wax, according to affidavits.

Police said the investigation began in December 2023 when a man arrested by Butler City police for possession of methamphetamine called Nagle from prison and used poorly disguised language to ask Nagle to take over his drug sales while he is incarcerated, according to the affidavits.

In July 2024, police said they received tips that Dempsey, who is Nagle’s girlfriend, was selling crystal methamphetamine, and Prementine was driving her to get the drugs, according to the affidavits.

While Nagle was in the prison for unspecified reasons in mid-August, he called Prementine and Mauthe to tell them to go to his house “to get stuff” because Dempsey had been arrested, according to the affidavits. Dempsey was arrested and jailed on outstanding warrants, police said.

A few days later, police executed the warrant at Nagle’s house and were given written consent to search Mauthe’s home and a vehicle.

Preliminary hearings for Nagle and Prementine are scheduled Nov. 26, but hearings have not been scheduled for Mauthe and Dempsey.