Norristown man facing prison for cocaine trafficking

NORRISTOWN >> A former Norristown man must report to jail later this year now that he’s admitted to illegal drug activity in the borough.

Thomas Wade Herbert, 57, formerly of the 100 block of West Marshall Street, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 3-to23-months in the county jail after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of possession with intent to deliver cocaine in connection with a July 2018 incident at his borough residence.

Judge William R. Carpenter ordered Herbert to report to the jail in Lower Providence on Sept. 2 to begin serving the sentence.

Herbert, whose most recent address was along the 5000 block of Defford Place in Lower Providence, also must complete two years’ probation following parole. The sentence means Herbert will be under court supervision for about four years.

An investigation began on July 26, 2018, when Norristown police obtained a warrant to search Herbert’s West Marshall Street residence, according to the criminal complaint.

“After receiving no answer at the door, forced entry was made into the apartment,” Norristown Police Officer Carl Robinson Jr. wrote in the arrest affidavit, adding Herbert was not at home at the time of the search.

During the search of a bedroom, police found a pill bottle linked to Herbert in a dresser drawer that contained 56 assorted packets of crack cocaine, according to the criminal complaint.

“I believe the amount of crack cocaine recovered and the way it was packaged was for street level sales,” Robinson alleged.

Other charges of possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia were dismissed against Herbert in exchange for his guilty plea to the more serious drug trafficking-related charge.