Adna Man Pleads Not Guilty to Heroin Charges After Sentencing for Escape

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The Adna man who on Wednesday was sentenced to time served for misdemeanor charges for his involvement in an officer-involved shooting pleaded not guilty to heroin charges Thursday morning in Superior Court.

Judge Nelson Hunt accepted Phillip A. Pinotti’s not guilty pleas to three different charges in two cases.

Pinotti is charged in one case with possession with intent to deliver and in the other case with delivery of a controlled substance, heroin, and possession of heroin.

Hunt questioned the state about why there were two cases and said because they are of similar they can be joined.

“That just doubles the cost,” Hunt said.

Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead said he was unsure why there were two case numbers because it is not his case.

Hunt continued trial setting to next week.

Pinotti is in custody at the Lewis County Jail. His bail is set at $150,000.

Pinotti was out on bail for the officer-involved shooting case, when Centralia police arrested him for the drug charges.

Working with a reliable and credible source, police were informed that Pinotti was selling heroin. Arrangements were made for 1.5 grams of heroin to bought from the 22-year-old, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

After the transaction, which happened within one block of a school, the source gave the heroin to officers.

Pinotti was arrested on Jan. 8. In the vehicle he was driving, police found heroin, a digital scale, heroin injection kits and a police scanner, according to court documents.