Police: Attempted fake drug test leads to new charges against New Stanton man

Apr. 2—A New Stanton man was charged Thursday after police said he used a homemade device to simulate urination as part of a botched attempt to falsify a drug test at the Westmoreland County Courthouse.

Dennis Shank, 43, was charged by Park Police with a misdemeanor count of furnishing drug-free urine during a drug test administered in the county adult probation office on March 29. 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 was not jailed as a result of the new charge.

Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger on Wednesday issued a warrant for Shank's arrest based on allegations that he violated terms of his probation. 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.

Court records indicate Shank was originally enrolled in the county's drug court program in early 2019 after he was charged with retail theft for an incident in which police said he stole a hoverboard from a Latrobe Walmart. According to probation officials, Shank never completed the program. He pleaded guilty in December 2019 and was sentenced to serve up to two years in jail.

Krieger paroled Shank last November but ordered he not be released from jail until Feb. 1.

Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich at 724-830-6293, rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .