POLICE SELLING DRUGS

Crime

Pa. police chief accused of helping to sell cocaine, meth: reports

Updated: Jan. 25, 2023, 8:11 a.m.|Published: Jan. 25, 2023, 8:09 a.m.

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Chris Mautner | cmautner@pennlive.com

A police chief in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, is facing federal drug charges, according to reports from WPXI and TribLive.

Shawn Denning is being charged with two counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of cocaine and three counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine, according to a complaint filed in federal court in Pittsburgh by the DEA, TribLive said.

He is also charged with conspiring to distribute controlled drugs from June 2021 to October 2022.

Denning was escorted out of Greensburg City Hall by DEA agents Tuesday and taken into custody, WPXI said, but was later released on bond.

A Marine veteran, Denning joined the Greensburg police force in 2008 and was promoted to chief in March 2022.

According to court documents, the DEA said Denning provided a confidential source with the menus and prices of available drugs via an out-of-state supplier.

According to TribLive, the DEA also said Denning “referenced others he had connected to the suppliers for the sale of drugs, he checked on the status of at least one of the deliveries to (the source), he checked on the quality of the product after the drugs were received, he sent money to the suppliers, he was waiting for packages from the suppliers himself.”

Using money provided by the DEA, the source bought roughly 35 grams of cocaine for $1,650 and 325 tablets containing methamphetamine for $2,500 via mailed shipments from California.

On Nov. 18, 2021, Denning texted the source, “lemme know what you think of it when the pack lands.” On Jan. 10, 2022, he texted, “All these guys are California west coast folks but are trust worthy with top notch product,” according to the criminal complaint.

In April 2022 the DEA said it also traced two payments of $110 each to a drug supplier via a CashApp account associated with Denning.

Original Story