1 of 2 men charged with selling cocaine after SWAT raid in New Kensington ordered to stand trial

One of two New Kensington men accused of dealing cocaine after a SWAT team raided their home last month has been ordered to stand trial.

Police charged the homeowner, Andrew Michael “Sly” Slywczuk, 39, of the 400 block of Charles Avenue, with two felony counts of possession of drugs with the intent to deliver and conspiracy to sell drugs, along with seven counts of drug possession.

The felony conspiracy charge was dismissed during a Dec. 7 preliminary hearing before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr., who ordered Slywczuk held for court on the remaining charges.

He was being detained in the Westmoreland County jail in lieu of a $50,000 cash bond to await formal arraignment in Westmoreland County Court on Jan. 17.

Police also charged Christopher James “Cheese” McClinton, 28, who told police he had been living at Slywczuk’s home for several weeks, with three felony counts of possession of drugs with the intent to deliver and conspiracy, along with three counts of drug possession.

McClinton, who previously lived on East Eighth Avenue in Tarentum, was released from custody on a $20,000 unsecured bond. A preliminary hearing before Pallone is scheduled for Feb. 8.

Detectives from the New Kensington Police Department and the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office, as well as members of the county’s SWAT team, raided the house about 8:30 a.m. Nov. 14 after getting a search warrant, according to a criminal complaint.

Police found a baggie with an ounce of crack cocaine inside a basement sewer drain, and an ounce of powdered cocaine was found inside a salt shaker in the kitchen, the complaint said.

During the search, police said, they found a scale with drug residue, glass pipes used to smoke crack, THC vape cartridges and various types of drug paraphernalia.

Two guns, including one that was reported stolen out of Butler County, also were confiscated during the raid.

Court records show Slywczuk is awaiting trial in Westmoreland County Court for three felony and three misdemeanor drug charges filed by New Kensington police in August 2022.

He also is awaiting trial for two DUI and two drug possession charges filed in July 2022 by Lower Burrell police.

Slywczuk also has been ordered to stand trial for two drug possession charges filed by Vandergrift police in August 2022, court records show.

In 2013, Slywczuk pleaded guilty in Westmoreland County to a felony drug charge and two counts of DUI filed by Penn Township police. He was sentenced to six months to a year in jail.

He also pleaded guilty to a drug charge in Butler County in 2016.

In 2008, Slywczuk pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of carrying a firearm without a license, filed by White Oak police.

Court records show McClinton is awaiting trial in Westmoreland County for four felony gun and drug charges filed in August 2022 by New Kensington police. The trial is scheduled to start Feb. 5 before Judge Scott O. Mears, court records show.

In 2018, McClinton pleaded guilty in Westmoreland County to two felony drug charges filed by the county Sheriff’s Office. He was sentenced to two to four years in jail, according to court records.

In 2017, state police in Greensburg charged McClinton with a felony drug possession charge. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two to four years in jail.