Leader of meth ring draws prison

Christopher Kulp and accomplice Brenda Lacy conducted drug business out of Upper Merion hotels

NORRISTOWN >> A West Pottsgrove man who prosecutors said was one of the “leaders” of a methamphetamine trafficking ring with tentacles to Montgomery and Berks counties is on his way to prison after he admitted to his role in the organization.

Christopher D. Kulp, 45, of the 600 block of Holly Drive, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 6-to-12-years in a state correctional facility after he pleaded guilty to charges of corrupt organizations and possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in connection with incidents that occurred between January 2017 and April 2018.

The sentence was imposed by Judge Todd D. Eisenberg, who accepted a plea agreement.

“Christopher Kulp was one of the leaders in

the corrupt organization. He pled as a principal of the organization, which means that he essentially ran it,” said Assistant District Attorney Samantha Thompson, explaining the nature of Kulp’s admission.

“He’s admitting that he, along with Brenda Lacy, operated a methamphetamine organization wherein they would sell methamphetamine to other people as well as use both users and addicts of methamphetamine to assist them in selling. They would make proceeds off of methamphetamine sales,” Thompson added.

Lacy, 39, of the first block of Zieglerville Road, Lower Frederick, previously pleaded guilty to identical charges and is awaiting sentencing.

Thompson sought a lengthy prison term against Kulp.

“It was warranted because Christopher Kulp was somebody who was profiting off of addiction of people in and around Montgomery County,” Thompson said. “Some of the people that were a part of his organization were also users and addicts themselves.”

Kulp and Lacy were among more than two dozen people, including suppliers and sub-dealers, arrested during the investigation in which authorities used wiretaps to identify the suspects, conduct surveillance and dismantle the drug ring.

During the investigation, detectives learned from informants that Kulp sometimes rented a room at the Radisson Hotel and Valley Forge Casino in Upper Merion and met with his associates there, according to court papers. Informants told detectives Kulp “is a gambler and frequently gambles at the Valley Forge Casino.”

“The casino was cooperative with us during the investigation,” Thompson said.

Kulp ultimately was arrested at the casino.

Search warrants were served at various locations during the investigation, including at rooms rented by Kulp and Lacy at the casino on April 11, 2018. At 6:10 a.m., Kulp “was found standing by a slot machine within the casino,” detectives alleged in the arrest affidavit.

Authorities also searched properties in Limerick, West Pottsgrove, Pottstown, Plymouth Meeting, Upper Merion, Lower Providence and Norristown in Montgomery County and in Exeter, Boyertown, and Reading in Berks County, according to court documents.

Several others associated with the drug ring previously pleaded guilty to various drug-related charges.

Keven L. Louis, 20, of the 1700 block of Haak Street, Reading, previously pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, essentially admitting he delivered various quantities of the drug to Kulp on several occasions. Eisenberg sentenced Louis to 4-to-8-years in prison.

Christian Shea Carter, 34, of the 200 block of Glasgow Street, Pottstown, previously pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and conspiracy to deliver the drug and is awaiting sentencing, according to court records.

The investigation involved county detectives with the Narcotics Enforcement Team, state police, Pottstown Police, Upper Merion Police and authorities from Berks County where one of the alleged suppliers lived.