Court papers detail how McKeesport man threw drugs when he saw police during North Huntingdon sting

Renatta Signorini | Wednesday, October 25, 2023 12:30 p.m.

Sean Stipp | Tribune-Review

A McKeesport man is behind bars after police said he delivered heroin/fentanyl twice in six days in North Huntingdon, according to court papers.

Gerald R. Lawrence, 31, brought drugs on Oct. 18 to a confidential informant who was working with township police and agents from the state attorney general’s office. They met at a parking lot along Route 30 and exchanged 200 stamp bags of heroin/fentanyl, according to court papers.

On Tuesday, a person cooperating with police set up another drug deal with Lawrence at the parking lot. When Lawrence arrived and saw several officers, police said he threw bags of heroin/fentanyl while he ran from them before being apprehended, according to court papers.

Investigators said they seized several cell phones, 600 more stamp bags and $1,200. Lawrence is charged with several drug offenses, criminal use of a communication facility, tampering with evidence and related offenses.

He was being held at the Westmoreland County Prison on $100,000 bail. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A Nov. 8 preliminary hearing is set.