CLEARFIELD — A Curwensville man accused of illegally selling a stolen gun had all his charges bound over for court after a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Clearfield County.

Denton James Best, 32, faces felony counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful acts, knowledge that property is proceeds of illegal act, proceeds of unlawful act, receiving stolen property, theft by unlawful taking, delivery of firearms after 48 hours elapsed and deliver firearm after criminal record check, as well as misdemeanor counts of delivery of firearm after 48 hours elapsed and delivery of firearm after criminal record check.

Best is free on $100,000 bail, which he posted Nov. 21 after he was arraigned.

State police investigated Best after receiving information that he was trying to sell a Smith and Wesson .44 magnum handgun. In Pennsylvania, private handgun sales must be handled through a licensed firearm dealer or sheriff’s office and include a background check.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, police received information in April from multiple sources that Best was trying to sell the gun.

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, according to the criminal complaint.

Best provided the gun to the undercover trooper, who asked how much Best wanted for it. Best said he wanted $700. The undercover officer responded with an offer of $650 “since there isn’t any paperwork with it.”

Best agreed to that price. When the undercover officer asked if everything was “good” with the gun and if there were “any bodies on the gun,” Best allegedly 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 owed $3,500 for a drug debt.

The undercover officer gave Best $650 for the gun, and Best also handed him ammunition for the weapon.

Before they left, Best advised the informant that he would let them know whenever he got some ice or crystal methamphetamine, which he expected in a few days.

A check on the gun revealed the owner, who, when contacted, told investigators that he had lent the weapon to a friend 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.

Online court documents show that Best has two drug cases, two conspiracy drug cases and a contraband case pending in Clearfield County. In all cases but one, he has posted $25,000 bail. In the last case, his bail was lowered to $75,000, unsecured.