Bethel Park man charged with drug delivery causing a death

A Bethel Park man was charged Tuesday with selling fentanyl to a man who died from the drug in a North Strabane Township hotel in September.
Township police arrested the suspect, Mark Anton, 63, on charges of drug delivery resulting in death, drug delivery, drug possession and criminal use of a cellphone, court records show.
A witness to the drug deal, who was not identified, called police to Comfort Inn Meadowlands after finding Justin Peterson dead on the floor of a room about 8 p.m. Sept. 27, charging documents state.
The witness also confessed to accompanying Peterson to a Shop ‘n Save parking lot in Canonsburg that day to purchase heroin.
Peterson had reportedly told the witness that Anton was like a father figure to him prior to the meeting in the parking lot.
Anton was arrested two weeks later by Bethel Park police on charges he possessed multiple bricks of heroin in stamp bags that matched those found in Peterson’s hotel room, court records state.
North Strabane police said a map app on Anton’s phone showed him at the Shop ‘n Save at the same time when the witness said the drug deal took place. The vehicle Anton drove that day also was captured at the same time on the store’s surveillance, as well as on a license plate reader in the area, police allege in court documents.
Police said an autopsy showed that Peterson died of a combined toxicity of fentanyl and cocaine.
Anton was ordered by District Judge Michael Manfredi to remain in Washington County jail without bond.