Greensburg police arrest man for trying to fake drug test

Paul Peirce, Tribune-Review, Greensburg, Pa.
·2 min read

Apr. 2—For the second time this week, a Westmoreland County parolee was arrested for trying to fake a court-ordered drug test.

Greensburg police charged Robert B. Nix-Williams, 34, of Arnold with a misdemeanor count of furnishing drug-free urine after attempting to falsify a drug test at the state parole office. He was ordered held in the county jail on $15,000 bond.

Officer Paige Wallace reported Nix-Williams had gone to the parole office Wednesday afternoon for a random drug test — a requirement of his two-year probation sentence for criminal assault and harassment he pleaded guilty to in Allegheny County in 2019, according to court dockets.

Wallace reported that state parole Officer George Reposky accompanied Nix-Williams, formerly of Blawnox, into the bathroom to oversee the test when the malfunction occurred.

"Reposky observed Nix-Williams unzip as to provide a sample for the test. As (Reposky) was observing, he heard a loud popping sound," Wallace reported.

Wallace reported Reposky found that Nix-Williams had attempted to use a condom filled with clean urine in an attempt to obscure his use of illegal substances. However, the condom broke as Nix-Williams provided the sample, Wallace reported.

On Monday, Dennis Shank, 43, of New Stanton was charged by Westmoreland County Park Police with furnishing drug-free urine during a drug test administered in the county adult probation office.

According to police, a probation officer overseeing the mandatory test saw Shank access an artificial device inside his pants with a tube attached to a canister filled with clean urine in an effort to obscure his use of illegal substances.

Officer Robert Hebenthal said Shank became irate and asked that he not be charged after the duct-taped device was discovered, according to the criminal complaint.

Shank is awaiting arraignment on the new charge.

Westmoreland County Judge Tim Krieger on Wednesday issued a warrant for Shank's arrest based on allegations that he violated terms of his probation on a 2019 retail theft case. According to court records, probation officials contend Shank tested positive for amphetamines and methamphetamines on March 29 and missed four mandatory appointments with his probation officer dating back to mid-February.

A preliminary hearing on the charge for Nix-Williams is scheduled April 15.

Paul Peirce is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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