CLEARFIELD – A Curwensville man accused of selling drugs and a stolen gun was sentenced to state prison during sentencing court.
Denton James Best, 33, pleaded guilty in four cases to possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance-methamphetamine and related offenses, contraband in another, dealing in proceeds of unlawful acts in a sixth case and felony theft by unlawful taking in the last case.
Judge Paul E. Cherry sentenced him to serve four to 13 years in state prison.
The criminal complaints in the drug cases detail how confidential informants purchased methamphetamine from Collins on July 2, 2023, July 19, 2023, July 24, 2023 and Sept. 16, 2023.
The contraband case comes from Feb. 6, 2024 after Best was transported to the jail on a warrant. Police say when he was searched a bag of suspected methamphetamine was found.
According to the affidavit of probable cause in the gun case, police received information in April 2024 from multiple sources that Best was trying to sell a Smith and Wesson .44 magnum handgun.
After a confidential informant exchanged messages with Best regarding the gun, an undercover officer and the informant met with Best at his home in Curwensville Borough on April 25, 2024. Authorities were aware that there were previous drug purchases at this same location; it was noted in the criminal complaint.
Best provided the gun, to the trooper who asked how much Best wanted for it. Best said he wanted $700. But after the officer responded that “Well, since there isn’t any paperwork with it, will you take $650?”
Best agreed to this price. When the officer asked if everything was “good” with the gun and if there were “any bodies on the gun”, Best answered that it was “clean” and he didn’t believe there were any “bodies” on it.
Best allegedly stated that he was short on money because he had a drug debt of $3,500.
The undercover officer gave Best $650 for the gun and Best also handed him ammunition for the weapon.
A check on the gun revealed the owner, who told investigators that he had lent his friend the weapon sometime in the summer of 2022. But, after he requested it be returned, the friend refused to give it back. This man is the one who had provided it to Best, according to the report.
In the theft case, Best stole a motorcycle from a residence in Curwensville on July 20, 2023.
