‘Boogieman’ Waives Prelim in Exchange for Reduced Bail

Duane Eric Watson.

A preliminary hearing for Duane ‘Boogieman’ Watson in front of Magisterial District Judge Ed Levine was waived on Monday afternoon, following an agreement between his attorney, Thomas Egan III Esq., and assistant district attorney Samantha Thompson Esq., that reduces bail from $500,000 cash to $99,000 cash.

Due to the bail reduction, Watson will be released from 23-hour lockdown—referred to as "reds,” due to the color of the prison jumpsuit—and placed into the general population of the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. Additionally, any attempt to post bail will require a Nebbia hearing, which means that funds used for bail have to be proven to come from a legal and legitimate source.

Watson is currently facing charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, conspiracy to commit possession with the intent to deliver, receipt in commerce of a controlled substance, drug or device, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal use of a communication facility, possession of marijuana, person not to possess a firearm, weapons of mass destruction, threat to use a weapon of mass destruction and more, all stemming from a lengthy investigation by the Towamencin Township Police Department. He had seven family members in attendance at today’s court appearance, including his weeping mother, who hugged him and said "You’re my son, and I love you.”

All charges were carried over, and his next court appearance will be a formal arraignment at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, scheduled for Nov. 28. His lawyer declined to comment on the case.

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