A former police chief has pleaded guilty to several felony charges, including selling cocaine in two local counties.
Eric Doutt’s attorney says he’s ready to accept what he’s done and move on.
“He’s probably one of the greatest assets to Arnold, PA, Westmoreland County, and once again it’s just sad that he made some serious, serious mistakes,” attorney Phil DiLucente said.
Doutt was the former Arnold police chief. He also served as a school board member, a volunteer firefighter and more.
He was charged with six counts of felony possession with intent to deliver last year. The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office says he had been selling cocaine for years. He was also charged with stealing a firearm and using his phone for criminal activity.
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DiLucente says the guilty plea comes because Doutt has come to terms with what he has done.
“No one is trying to reduce the seriousness. Cocaine is a bad, bad drug,” DiLucente said. “It’s an addictive drug. It happens a lot of times to people when they no longer might necessarily be in a position of power, depression, or things like this. So it’s complicated, but inside this guy is a really good guy.
Doutt faces up to 45 years in prison and $250,000 in fines, DiLucente says. But he hasn’t been sentenced yet, and DiLucente presented the judge with pages of character references and acts of service. The judge ordered a third party to review Doutt’s impact on the community, and said both would be taken into consideration before Doutt is sentenced.
“You can’t look at someone like him in a vacuum. And I know that might sound cliché, but it’s not for him,” DiLucente said. “When I say a volunteer fireman, K9 Officer, Sergeant, detective, chief of police, school board member, and I can go on and on, that’s why my sentencing memorandum is over 15 pages, I believe.”
Doutt’s scheduling hearing is currently scheduled for Dec. 1.
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