A Philadelphia man has been accused of distributing marijuana in North Wales Borough, following an afternoon traffic stop on Nov. 29 near the intersection of Main Street and Montgomery Avenue.
According to the criminal complaint, police added the 100 block of South Main Street to their “extra watch” list after receiving multiple reports of suspected drug activity taking place involving a black sedan. On Nov. 29 at 1 p.m., police allegedly observed a black Toyota Camry pull up to the curb along the 100 block of South Main Street, at which point a male that was known to police entered the vehicle and a brief hand-to-hand transaction took place, the report states. The male then exited the vehicle and walked back into his residence, according to the report.
Police began to follow the Toyota, which stopped at the SEPTA rail crossing at Main Street and Montgomery Avenue. As the gates descended, the Toyota allegedly quickly drove around the gates, but police were able to follow and initiate a traffic stop, according to the report.
The driver, identified as 28-year-old Brandon Norwood, appeared to be nervous, and a strong odor of unburnt marijuana was reportedly emanating from the vehicle. Police informed Norwood that they believed a drug transaction had just taken place, at which point Norwood allegedly said he had bought two Percocet pills but had already swallowed them, the report states. When asked if he had anything else in the vehicle, Norwood allegedly turned over two plastic tubes and a zip-lock bag containing marijuana, according to the report.
Police said that Norwood was also in possession of three cell phones that were constantly ringing during the traffic stop.
Norwood was removed from the vehicle, and was found to be in possession of $360, police said. A search of the vehicle for weapons also yielded another bag of marijuana, according to the report.
As a result of the incident, Norwood has been charged with one felony count of possession with intent to distribute, along with a misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance and a summary charge of disregarding a railroad barricade.
Norwood was arraigned on Dec. 4 by Magisterial District Judge Suzan Leonard, who set bail at $1,000 unsecured. He was then released from custody, and his next court appearance is a preliminary hearing on Dec. 16 at 11 a.m. in front of Judge Leonard.
(Editor’s note: All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause, and reflects the point of view of the police. Should the defendant choose to issue a public statement, or is later found not guilty or has the charges dropped, we will update this article accordingly.)
See also:
Firearms Seized During Arrest of Man at Forge Gate Apartments
Man Charged With DUI, Felony Theft After Stealing Car From Halfway House: Police
DUI Charges Pending Against Elderly Woman Who Crashed Vehicle Into Building On Saturday
Intoxicated Intruder Entered Elderly Woman’s Home, Found Lying Shirtless In Her Bed: Police
Bystander Stops Rolling Van During DUI Incident In Montgomery Township
