Feds charge 3 more in N. Philly pot operation

Business was going so well for a marijuana-growing operation in a North Philadelphia warehouse that James Alberts and Richard K. Creamer decided in June 2009 to expand their business to northern California, authorities said.

But their plan to purchase land there never happened because federal agents took down the operation the next month and arrested 10 people, all of whom have since pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and related offenses.

A federal grand jury yesterday charged Creamer, Leo Alberts, and Derek Pitts in the conspiracy to grow and distribute 1,000 marijuana plants, and related offenses. It is undetermined if the Albertses are related.

Authorities said the old commercial warehouse, at 2306-2310 N. American St., near Welsh Elementary School, was bought and renovated by James Alberts and Creamer and used from October 2007 until July 17, 2009, to grow marijuana for distribution.

James Alberts pleaded guilty on July 15 to drug conspiracy, manufacturing and distribution charges. Creamer, 38, of Fairmount Avenue near Orkney Street, and Leo Alberts, 33, of Venango Street near Witte, both pleaded not guilty yesterday to drug conspiracy and related charges before a federal magistrate.

They are expected to be released today on bail. Pitts, 30, of Morton, Delaware County, is expected to surrender to the Drug Enforcement Administration soon.

Authorities said Creamer, a licensed attorney, knew the warehouse was being used for the marijuana operation.

Creamer's attorney, A. Charles Peruto Jr., said Creamer and James Alberts were partners in real-estate ventures but that Creamer had no involvement with the marijuana operation.

Alberts set a marijuana-growing and -cultivation schedule and directed workers to go to the warehouse once a month from March 2009 to July 2009.

They harvested mature marijuana plants and prepared multipound quantities for distribution in Philadelphia and elsewhere, for between $5,000 and $5,500 per pound, the feds said. The monthly harvests yielded anywhere from 15 to 22 pounds of marijuana, sources said.

Harvests took place in a "cutting" room where Leo Alberts and Pitts trimmed the plants.

After a one-week "drying" period, James Alberts packaged the dried marijuana in pound-sized plastic bags and distributed shares to members of the conspiracy, with Alberts and Creamer receiving the largest shares, the feds said.

Creamer allegedly also received cash from James Alberts after he sold and distributed the marijuana.

Authorities were tipped off to the warehouse by a DEA informant, sources said, and later began tailing workers, who were observed throwing plastic bags into Dumpsters that contained marijuana root balls.