D.A.: Retired detective dealt crystal meth
On the same day a Philadelphia cop was arrested for selling heroin while on duty in uniform, a retired Norristown detective was arrested for allegedly buying $17,000 worth of crystal meth which authorities believe he planned to resell, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.
D.A.: Retired detective dealt crystal meth
On the same day a Philadelphia cop was arrested for selling heroin while on duty in uniform, a retired Norristown detective was arrested for allegedly buying $17,000 worth of crystal meth which authorities believe he planned to resell, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.
In March, the district attorney's office received an anonymous tip that retired Norristown Police Det. Sgt. Jack Pennington, 66, was involved in drug trafficking, a news release said.
On Tuesday, county detectives conducted surveillance on Pennington and watched him pull into the Plymouth Meeting Mall around 4:30 p.m. in his 2006 Cadillac with a Fraternal Order of Police license plate, authorities said.
Pennington had allegedly met with his drug customers earlier in the day but had gone to the mall to meet with his supplier, police said. When his supplier arrived on location, Pennington went to the man's driver's side window and leaned through, putting his arms in the vehicle, the news release said.
At that time, investigators moved in and found a paper bag with three ounces of crystal meth inside, according to the news release. Police said the meth was worth about $17,000. Also inside the bag was $6,961 in cash, police said.
When he was searched, Pennington had $9,470 in cash on him and a retired Norristown police badge and police credentials in his pockets, the district attorney's office said.
Inside of Pennington's vehicle, police also found a loaded handgun, three cell phones, two digital scales, bags used for drug packaging and an additional $1,505 in cash, according to the news release.
At his home on Ross Road in Upper Merion, police said they found four more handguns, additional drug paraphernalia and "evidence of illegal bookmaking."
Pennington was arraigned this morning and remanded to prison on $2 million bail.
News of Pennington's arrest comes just a day after federal authorities announced they'd arrested Philadelphia police Ofc. Jonathan Garcia, 23, on Tuesday night for selling heroin to a confidential informant on multiple occasions, including once when he was on duty and in uniform across from his police district.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey has suspended Garcia for 30 days with the intent to dismiss.
tough guy— Dunsmore
Comment removed.- Cops/Detectives selling/dealing drugs... DA's making deals with the white envelope... Attorneys giving judges "Christmas bonuses"... I mean come on, this is getting ridiculous!!!!!!!— elfman
- anybody who knows anybody knows that Ntown is a cesspool of coruption that has been going on for a long time. It's absurd that the county seat can have such a third world,bannna republic bunch of scum govt. And that Philly cop dealing is just as bad THROW AWAY THE KEY— Jim v
- Shame on you Pennington.— PhillyMan
- This is why J Edgar Hoover wanted NOTHING to do with Drug Enforcement, he knew it would be impossible to keep all his guys clean & on the narrow, especially with the economy today and the cost of things just rising, some people just get desperate and want a quick fix, That's The American Way.— ArseoleChris
- Another fine upstanding example of police employees at work- although this one is retired and getting a pension. Dealing meth- what a goofball.— bling
- He appears as if he was getting high on his own supply. These people are not overnight drug dealers with large amounts of cash, product, clientele. Someone had to know a long time ago he was hustling the police dept. and drugs . I'm pretty sure he didn't start selling drugs once he retired if he still kept his badge and credentials so acesscible it was obvious he has been hiding behind that bade for years. What happens to his pension,and is he subject to a Nivea hearing?— Mtairysquirl
- When you can't trust the LEO's to be honest and not commit crimes on their own you've got a big problem as that paragon of prosecutorial something or another and self-anointed "tough cookie" once proclaimed amidst an accomplished career of doing very little about it. Nice touch, that - driving the caddie with FOP plates while on his police pension engaged in his second career as a friggin meth dealer. He should get the legal equivalent of the being drawn, quartered, and disemboweled before he passes out and dies.— Tkat
- Thanks for blowing his cover.... Jerks!— sillybilly
- The whole country is corrupt from the bottom to the TOP in Whitehouse! Fire them all and go back to the Constitution. They work for us. Lower their pay to working mans standards. Who the hell made them special? If they can't handle a respectable salary and serving the people by the Constitution they shouldn't be working for the people period!— ftw2012
- He has an interesting little history beyond today's news.— Tkat
- Jack Pennington was in the united states armed forces. NAVY. a police officer for over 20 years. i have known this man my entire life and ask everyone to hold there judgement. the media is disgusting. they can make a great man look horrible or make a horrible man look great. they have the power to control peoples minds. jack is the kind of guy who would not even curse in front of a women!!! hes old school. so they found evidance of book keeping... you dont know a booky or someone that bets? hand guns hes a security officer/ex policeman. the only thing i see on here that means anything is that he got caught with drugs/large amount of cash. police credentials (was it his business card?) and he carried that badge as long as i have known him because that was who he was. hold your judgement until more on this story comes out— JUTD1220
- Okay, JUTD, I withheld judgement while I tried to come up with a credible explanation for why a man with $9,500 on him would be leaning into a drug dealer's car unless he was looking to buy. Looking to buy In bulk and no doubt re-sell. Couldn't come up with one. Guilty.— Sanchez
- JUTD
I beleive you, I mean you just did not know. He hustled you too....— Mtairysquirl
