Four men have been arrested after federal, state and Westmoreland County authorities said they found drugs worth more than $8,000 and a gun on Thursday morning while searching a studio. recording and a residency at Arnold.
Agents from the state Attorney General’s Narcotics Investigation Bureau, in conjunction with the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, executed the search warrant at approximately 7 a.m. at Iceburgh Studios, 1700 Horne Blvd.
Police charged Iceshmere Brown, 23, of Arnold and Timothy Brown Jr., 30, of New Kensington with drug-related offences. Christian Barr Hawkins, 27, of Arnold, has been charged with prohibited possession of a firearm.
Isiah Christopher Mangol, 22, of New Kensington was charged with obstruction and disorderly conduct, court records show.
No charges could be brought against two other people whom police said they found in the building and identified in criminal complaints.
According to the criminal complaints, agents and officers executed a “knock and announce” warrant at Iceburgh Studios.
As officers cleared the building, the complaint states, they contacted Iceshmere Brown in the basement and ordered him to come up the stairs. Mangol was found as officers began clearing the basement.
Believing that Mangol had a weapon, the officers ordered him to go up the stairs and show his hands. He initially refused but surrendered after about 20 minutes, the complaint states.
According to the complaint, the search of the building uncovered a 9mm pistol, 10 packets of crack cocaine totaling approximately 56 grams, two packets of cocaine totaling approximately 21 grams, packets of marijuana and approximately $1,000.
Arnold police said the narcotics seized had a street value of $8,260.
Police said some of the evidence seized tested positive for cocaine. They said the amount of crack and cocaine, as well as the packaging found, was consistent with possession with intent to deliver.
Bonds for Iceshmere Brown, Timothy Brown Jr. and Hawkins were set at $50,000 each, and they were sent to Westmoreland County Jail in Greensburg, court records show.
Mangol was released on an unsecured bond of $10,000.
None of the men had a lawyer listed in court records.
All four are scheduled for preliminary hearings on April 7 before New Kensington District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr.
Brian C. Rittmeyer is a staff writer for Tribune-Review. You can contact Brian at 724-226-4701, brittmeyer@triblive.com or via Twitter .
