Eight days after he was found not guilty of supplying a fatal dose of fentanyl to a Tamaqua woman, Kyle J. Merenda, 23, of Barnesville, sat in another courtroom.

This time, he’s charged with selling the powerful narcotic to an undercover agent in Ryan Township on Dec. 18, 2017.

Merenda was scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Wednesday on two felony charges of manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance; a felony charge of criminal use of communication facility; and a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance by person not registered.

However, because he did not yet have a lawyer, District Judge Christina E. Hale of Frackville allowed him to postpone the hearing until 11:30 a.m. June 27.

She warned Merenda that because the charges are serious, she would not consent to future delays.

Preliminary hearings are held to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to advance the charges to county court.

Schuylkill County District Attorney Michael A. O’Pake also agreed to the delay, noting the gravity of the charges against Merenda make it crucial he be represented.

Merenda, cuffed, shackled and in county jail garb, said he applied for a public defender about a week ago, and that his father had spoken to the lawyer, Hank J. Clarke, who represented him at his recent trial.

According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Reading state trooper Scott M. Grochowski and Detective Troy S. Greenawald, a controlled buy of fentanyl was conducted, with a confidential informant contacting Merenda, who told the informant to meet him at a place in Ryan Township.

The informant gave Merenda the money in exchange for the fentanyl.

Merenda remains in jail under $25,000. He also has a detainer from Hazleton police, who charged him with three felony counts of manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, and one count each of intent to possess a controlled substance by a person not registered and use/possession of drug paraphernalia on Jan. 11, 2018.

Merenda on June 15 waived his right to a preliminary hearing in that case, and two of the felony counts of manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance were advanced to Luzerne County court.

The remaining charges were dropped.

A Schuylkill County jury on June 12 found Merenda not guilty of drug delivery resulting in death in the case of Alexandria “Alex” Sienkiewicz, 23, of Tamaqua.

Sienkiewicz died of an overdose of fentanyl on April 2, 2016.