Preliminary hearings for four people accused of running drugs in New Kensington, including a member of the Pagans motorcycle gang, were delayed Thursday.
Bill Robert Rana, 44, who at one time was sergeant at arms for the Pagans Pittsburgh chapter, Marc D. Farabaugh, 42, Stephanie Lynn Miller, no age available, and Ciera Siegworth, 25, were scheduled for preliminary hearings before New Kensington District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr.
The hearings were continued to Dec. 12.
The investigation by the state Attorney General’s Office, New Kensington police and the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force targeted Rana, who was staying in an apartment at Valley Royal Court.
When the apartment was searched on Oct. 4, authorities said they found cocaine, crack cocaine, crystal meth and heroin along with psilocybin mushrooms and anabolic steroids. Four guns also were found, including one called a “ghost gun” because it had no serial number.
Packaging materials, scales, cash and Pagans motorcycle gang apparel also were found, police said.
While Rana posted bond and was released from the Westmoreland County jail on Oct. 18, according to court records, he was taken into federal custody at Pallone’s office for violating multiple terms of his supervised release.
Rana had been placed on supervised release April 5 after being sentenced in federal court to four years in prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations.
Rana “poses a risk to the community,” and his “supervised release should be revoked,” a U.S. Probation officer said in federal court filings. He is the custody of U.S. Marshals until a hearing on Wednesday, according to federal court records.
In the state case, Rana is charged with four counts of prohibited possession of firearms, along with felony and misdemeanor drug offenses.
Rana’s attorney, Ashley Marie Cagle, said she intends to have a hearing for her client before Pallone in December.
“We vehemently object to any allegations made and look forward to absolving ourselves of this issue,” she said.
Farabaugh and Miller were released from the Westmoreland County jail on Oct. 21, according to court records. Siegworth was released Thursday from the Allegheny County Jail, where she was being held in an unrelated case, according to a jail official.
Their hearings were postponed because they did not have attorneys representing them, Cagle said.
All three are charged with felony and misdemeanor drug offenses.