Cops: Linwood man busted with guns, drugs, cash
LOWER CHICHESTER » Back in July 2015, when he was 15, Anthony Berkeley was charged as an adult with felony robbery involving serious injury, and a long list of related offenses.
Berkeley spent nine days at the county prison before his bail was reduced from 10 percent of $50,000 to 10 percent of $5,000, and posted.
According to online court records in that case, Berkeley waived a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Leon Hunter on all charges, which also included theft, receiving stolen property, simple assault, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, terroristic threats, harassment, disorderly conduct and criminal use of communication facility. But that is where the online court docket ends — because Berkeley’s case was transferred back to Delaware County Juvenile Court.
While the final disposition was not immediately available Thursday, Berkeley told police when he was arrested on Monday that he is still on juvenile probation.
Berkeley of Linwood, who turned 18 on Aug. 21, was charged Monday with possession with the intent to manufacture or deliver suspected marijuana, possession of four loaded firearms including an assault weapon, and driving with only a permit. He’s being held at the county prison in lieu of bail, which was set at $250,000 cash.
After his arrest, Berkeley reportedly told police that he was in possession of the firearms for protection because he owed a marijuana dealer $5,000, and his life had been threatened, according to the charging document filed by Lower Chichester Police Officer Matthew Jackson and Upper Chichester Police Detective John Montgomery.
“They had some fire power with them, there is no doubt about that,” Montgomery said, referring to Berkeley and a 17-yearold male who was a passenger in his vehicle.
When police initially saw Berkeley drive off in a gray Nissan Sentra with a passenger Monday afternoon, they were already aware that he was not a licensed driver.
Days prior, police had received several anonymous tips regarding Berkeley posing with a firearm on social media. Those tips, coupled with other issues in his neighborhood, brought Montgomery and Jackson to the area of the 300 block of Cranston Avenue on Monday. Both Jackson and Montgomery are also members of the Delaware County Drug Task Force and were serving in that capacity about 1:50 p.m. when they saw Berkeley enter a parked Nissan. At the same time, an unknown male entered the front passenger side of the vehicle.
The officers followed the Nissan, which they noted had heavily tinted windows, to the 4300 block of West Ninth Street, where they initiated a traffic stop. The officers approached the vehicle, Montgomery on the driver’s side and Jackson on the passenger side.
“Detective Montgomery approached the driver’s window and immediately recognized the drier as Anthony Berkeley. Detective Montgomery also immediately detected the odor of marijuana emanating from inside the Nissan,” according to the probable cause affidavit for Berkeley’s arrest.
Both Jackson and Montgomery saw a backpack, positioned between the legs of the male passenger. They also saw the passenger “pushing the backpack down towards his seat,” the affidavit states.
Berkeley appeared nervous and, according to the affidavit, reached toward the floor of the vehicle.
“When asked for his driver’s license, Berkeley stated that he did not have a license, only a permit,” the affidavit states. Berkeley and his 17-year-old male passenger were told to exit the vehicle.
The officers then examined the inside of the vehicle, and allegedly found a loaded .45-caliber Ruger semiautomatic handgun in view under the driver’s seat. The officers then patted down both Berkeley and the passenger.
The officers found $95 in Berkeley’s pockets. His passenger had $269 in cash, as well as a sandwich bag of suspected marijuana and unused packaging material.
The officers turned their focus again to the car. Further examination side revealed a 9 mm Ruger semi-automatic handgun, also loaded, under the front passenger seat. Found inside the back pack was an empty, gallon-sized vacuum, sealed plastic bag with suspected marijuana, and one opened cigar wrapper containing suspected marijuana, the affidavit states
Police then searched the trunk of the Nissan. There, they found a duffel bag containing a loaded .40-caliber Glock semi-automatic handgun, as well as a Century Arms RAS 47 semi-automatic with a magazine holding 20 7.62 mm rounds, the affidavit states.
Both Berkeley and the passenger were transported to police headquarters. Berkeley told police that a friend of his, whom he described as a senior at a local high school, gave him three firearms – the Century Arms RAS 47, the .45-caliber Ruger and the 9 mm Ruger.
The fourth gun, Berkeley told the officers, belonged to him and he owned it for some time.
“Berkeley further stated these guns belonged to his friend’s father and that the gun owner was not aware that his son had taken the guns, nor that they were in Berkeley’s possession,” the affidavit states. According to the affidavit, Berkeley said he took possession of the guns for “protection.”
Berkeley said he owes $5,000 to a marijuana dealer and he was receiving death threats.
Montgomery said Thursday that Aston police are investigating how Berkeley obtained the three firearms.
Berkeley’s preliminary hearing is listed for Oct. 31 before Magisterial District Judge David R. Griffin. It was not known if Berkeley had retained an attorney in the latest case.
The 17-year-old male who was a passenger in his vehicle is facing similar charges as a juvenile, though authorities are seeking to have him charged as an adult.