Connellsville man arrested on drug and stolen gun charges
A Connellsville man is facing several drug and gun-related charges after state police responded to a suspicious vehicle call and allegedly discovered him in possession of a cache of drugs and a stolen handgun.
Christopher Lee Vance, 33, of 403 South 8th Street, was charged with possession with intent to deliver drugs, prohibited possession of a firearm, receiving stolen property, possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of controlled substances and use or possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to the complaint filed by state police Trooper Lucas Borkowski, police were called to investigate suspected drug activity in the North Union Township Fire Department parking lot at around 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 17.
Vance told police he was waiting for a woman he had dropped off nearby, police said. During the conversation, Borkowski said he saw Vance with two knives. Vance was patted down, and Borkowski said a stun gun and a digital scale with white powdery residue on it were found in Vance’s pants pocket.
Borkowski said Vance was fully searched, and police discovered four bundles of money, a 9mm bullet and a weapon-mounted laser. Police then asked to search the vehicle but Vance didn’t consent.
A woman at the scene who said she was the grandmother of the woman for whom Vance was waiting said that when police arrived, Vance shoved something between the front seats of his car, according to the complaint.
Vance was taken into custody, and his vehicle was seized. Officers returned with a search warrant issued by Magisterial District Judge Ronald Haggerty, and discovered an “owe” sheet, a Pringles can with a false bottom which hid 42 stamp bags of suspected heroin, 11 knotted plastic bag corners containing suspected cocaine, 19 capsules of suspected ecstasy, four under-the-tongue suboxone films, a single bag of suspected heroin, one unknown white pill and two capped syringes with a brown cotton ball.
Additionally, police discovered a 9mm handgun hidden in a box and two loaded magazines in the back of the vehicle.
According to the complaint, police tracked the serial number on the gun to an owner who reported that the gun had been taken during a burglary in Connellsville.
Vance was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Wendy Dennis in the case and placed in Fayette County Prison, with bail set at $50,000.
Two days later, state police Trooper Craig Spisak filed charges against Vance related to the burglary which netted the gun.
Vance will face 14 counts in that case, including burglary, robbery, theft, aggravated and simple assault, reckless endangerment and gun charges.
Vance was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Dwight K. Shaner in that case, and bail was set at $25,000.
Vance will have preliminary hearings in both cases at a later date.