Alhinde Weems, 33, was a longtime drug dealer prior to becoming an officer more than five years ago and continued to deal drugs

Alhinde Weems, 33, was a longtime drug dealer prior to becoming an officer more than five years ago and continued to deal drugs while he was on the force, federal authorities alleged in an affidavit. The FBI arrested Weems Friday, authorities said.Police said they do not believe any other officers are involved."This man dishonored the badge in a way that's unconscionable to us," Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Ross said at a news conference, adding that Weems has been suspended with intent to dismiss. "This case starts and stops with Weems. This is it."Ross said the department thoroughly screens police candidates and will conduct an internal investigation to see how an alleged drug dealer got onto the force.
Investigators with the FBI, the U.S. attorney's office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives declined to say where Weems was allegedly dealing or if he is alleged to have dealt drugs while on the job. Weems and a co-defendant are charged with conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, and a firearms charge. Federal authorities said additional charges could be filed.The investigation began in December when an informant told authorities that Weems was a drug dealer, according to the affidavit. The informant bought about one ounce of crack cocaine from Weems on Dec. 17, followed by a purchase of two ounces on Jan. 14, authorities allege.On Jan. 29, Weems and the informant bought a kilogram of simulated cocaine from an undercover ATF agent, according to the affidavit.A month later, authorities allege, Weems told the undercover agent he was interested in robbing the agent's drug supplier. A home invasion was scheduled for Friday, authorities said, and Weems and another man stated they "would be ready to shoot if necessary."Friday's arrest happened at an undisclosed location where Weems and Smith had planned to meet with the undercover agent, according to the affidavit. Weems had a gun and his police badge on him when he was arrested, the affidavit said.Tom Stankiewicz, assistant special agent with the ATF, said the arrest shows that authorities will not tolerate wrongdoing by police officers or anyone else."It doesn't matter if you're wearing a badge, a gun or a uniform," Stankiewicz said.Authorities did not know if Weems, who is being held without bail, had obtained an attorney. His telephone number was unlisted.John McNesby, the head of the Fraternal Order of Police lodge in Philadelphia, said the organization would not be representing Weems."The FOP is not going to stand behind a drug dealer cop," McNesby said.

Gary Eugene Yates Jr., 22, of the 100 block of North Franklin Street, and Conway J. Evans, 27, Philadelphia, each were convicted of intent to deliver

Gary Eugene Yates Jr., 22, of the 100 block of North Franklin Street, and Conway J. Evans, 27, of Lindburg Boulevard, Philadelphia, each were convicted Wednesday of charges of possession with intent to deliver cocaine and conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to deliver it after a three-day jury trial in Montgomery County Court.The charges stemmed from a cocaine cooking and packaging operation that Pottstown police dismantled at the North Franklin Street apartment on May 26, 2006. Prosecutors alleged Evans supplied the cocaine and assisted with cooking it while Yates helped cook it and prepare it for street sale."Conway Evans was very high on the food chain of drug dealers. He was a supplier to drug dealers," said Assistant District Attorney Nathan Schadler. "This verdict today cut off several drug houses from their supplier."

Maria Arroyo is charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance

Maria Arroyo, 49, of Philadelphia, is charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communications facility, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and involuntary manslaughter.
The charges stem from an investigation by state police Troop G Vice and Narcotics Unit in 2006 and 2007 into a heroin distribution network that connected the Philipsburg and State College areas with Philadelphia. Troopers became aware of at least 15 people who were traveling to Philadelphia from Centre County, purchasing heroin from the same source, then driving back to Centre County and both using and reselling the heroin, according to a news release issued Tuesday by state police. Police say their investigation shows individuals from Centre County purchased more than 7,000 bags of heroin from the Arroyos in 2006 for an average price of $8 a bag. The heroin was resold in Centre County for $30 per bag, police said.
On Dec. 25 and 26, 2006, three people left the State College area and traveled to Philadelphia to purchase heroin. The individuals then returned to Ferguson Township and used the purchased heroin, according to state police. One of the individuals died of an overdose, a death investigated by Ferguson Township police. An autopsy later showed the heroin purchased in Philadelphia was laced with fentanyl.
Police throughout the nation in 2006 issued alerts about fentanyl- laced heroin, which was reported to be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of addicts. Fentanyl is a prescription painkiller that is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine, and many addicts purchased and used heroin unaware that it had been mixed with fentanyl. During 2007, according to police, troopers made controlled purchases of heroin that they determined came from the Philadelphia source. They began conducting interviews, and gained the cooperation of many of the individuals involved, police said. They presented their evidence to a statewide grand jury in Harrisburg, and the grand jury on Jan. 8 recommended the filing of charges against Arroyo and her husband, Pedro Arroyo. Their whereabouts were unknown at the time, police said, and District Judge Allen Sinclair issued a warrant for their arrest that day.
At some point — the information from police was unclear on exactly when — Maria Arroyo was taken into custody on other charges by the Philadelphia Police Department and placed in Philadelphia County prison. At that point, police determined that Pedro Arroyo had died in late 2007. Maria Arroyo was transported from Philadelphia to Centre County on Tuesday and arraigned before District Judge Daniel Hoffman. He remanded her to Centre County jail in lieu of $50,000 straight cash bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 20. State police said they were assisted by Ferguson Township, State College and Philadelphia police and the Attorney General’s Office. The case will be prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General David Gorman

Jeffrey Riggins was sentenced to 36 years

Jeffrey Riggins, 44, was sentenced to 36 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Juan Sanchez, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan.
Last November, a jury in federal court in Philadelphia convicted Riggins of 24 counts of possession with intent to deliver cocaine and one felony gun possession charge. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Gallagher.
Riggins and several others were arrested in December 2006 after local, state and federal authorities investigated the Mafia-El Don organization for months.
Police said the drug gang distributed 50 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $4 million in the Lehigh Valley between the summer and winter of 2006, mainly out of an Easton restaurant called Cesar's Mexican Cocinar on Butler Street. The cocaine was also sold at J&M Collision on Sumner Avenue in Allentown and at a home/store on Ferry Street in Easton, authorities said.
Riggins, police said, purchased large quantities of cocaine from Mafia-El Don for redistribution.The arrests were part of Operation White Market, the first case prosecuted under the federally funded Route 222 Corridor Anti-Gang Initiative.
Investigators purchased more than 1 kilogram of cocaine in undercover buys using informants and conducted stakeouts of the gang's activities, authorities said.