From staff reports
Oil City police have arrested a transient Oil City man they were searching for who is facing multiple drug-related charges.
On Monday at about 4:30 p.m., police arrived at an apartment on Vo-Tech Drive, where they had been told Zachary Luhellier, 27, wanted on other charges, was, according to a criminal complaint filed by police.
After being granted permission to enter the apartment, police found Luhellier hiding in a closet in the residence, the complaint said.
Luhellier is facing charges in several incidents.
From December through January, Franklin city police used a confidential informant to conduct several controlled drug buys from Luhellier in Oil City, according to a criminal complaint filed by Franklin city police.
After arranging the drug buys via text message, Luhellier would sell the informant methamphetamine, the complaint said.
In February, Oil City police responded to a residence on West Seventh Street to assist Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole officers, who had located drugs and drug paraphernalia in a residence where Luhellier was staying, according to a criminal complaint filed by Oil City police.
After Luhellier was taken into custody and was being transported to the Oil City police station, he said “I haven’t even sold in a couple of days” and that he got caught on a day he wasn’t selling drugs, the complaint said.
In the numerous incidents, Luhellier has been charged with two felony counts of criminal use of communication facility, three felony counts of manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, and a felony count of flight to avoid apprehension/trial/punishment and four misdemeanor counts of use/possession of drug paraphernalia, four misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance.
He was arraigned before District Judge Andrew Fish on Monday and placed in Venango County jail with bail denied because he is considered a flight risk.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. June 2 before Fish.
