Norristown man sent to prison for illegal gun possession

Stanley Walter Wise charged during investigation of straw purchase scheme

NORRISTOWN » A Norristown man is headed to state prison for illegally possessing firearms after he was charged during an investigation of a straw purchase scheme involving several individuals.

Stanley Walter Wise, 30, of the 200 block of Oak Street, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 5 to 10 years in a state correctional facility after he pleaded guilty to charges of persons not to possess firearms, fleeing and eluding police and driving under the influence of controlled substances in connection with incidents that occurred between December 2020 and February 2021.

The sentence was imposed by Judge Thomas M. DelRicci as part of a plea agreement.

According to court documents, in February 2021, members of the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Violent Crime Unit, Pennsylvania State Police and Cheltenham police initiated a joint investigation into the illegal purchase and transfer of firearms by several people, including Wise, who was listed in court papers as a principal target of the investigation.

Detectives alleged those involved in the incidents relied on so-called “straw purchase” schemes to carry out their activities.

A straw purchase occurs when a person with a clean background purchases firearms on behalf of another person to conceal the true ownership of the firearm. Those who are unable to legally purchase firearms include convicted felons, domestic violence offenders, juveniles and mentally ill individuals.

In court documents, detectives alleged Wise had a prior criminal history that included a drug offense and which prohibited him from possessing a firearm.

However, according to a criminal complaint, on Feb. 4, 2021, state police conducted a traffic stop of a Toyota Avalon operated by Wise at the MacDade Boulevard off-ramp of northbound I-476 in Delaware County, at which time several firearms were located in the vehicle.

Those firearms including a loaded Zastava Arms AK-47 pistol and a Glock 9mm handgun and a review of records determined the weapons were purchased by Faatir Ali Al-Ahad, 25, of the 7300 block of Sycamore Avenue in the Elkins Park section of Cheltenham Township, between December 2020 and January 2021, according to court documents. None of the firearms had been reported stolen by Al-Ahad and police alleged the situation was a “strong” indicator of a straw purchase.

Al-Ahad, previously pleaded guilty to charges of corrupt organizations, selling firearms to ineligible transferees, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, unsworn falsification to authorities and conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.

Al-Ahad had no criminal history and as a result was able to purchase firearms for others who were prohibited from possessing firearms either because of their age or their criminal history, state police Trooper Brian Kedra alleged in a criminal complaint.

Investigators alleged Al-Ahad purchased eight firearms on three occasions between December 2020 and January 2021 at gun stores in Springfield Township and Norristown in Montgomery County and in Warminster and Southampton in Bucks County.

Two other males who allegedly were in Wise’s vehicle at the time of the Feb. 4 traffic stop also were charged in connection with the straw purchase schemes.

The judge ordered that the guns that were seized be forfeited to county detectives.

Authorities alleged Wise attempted to flee from authorities shortly before the traffic stop and later told police that he needed to sober up after taking a large quantity of various pills, according to the criminal complaint.

Other charges of corrupt organizations, conspiracy, making false written statements and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities were dismissed against Wise as part of the plea agreement.

Assistant District Attorney Samantha Arena handled the case. Defense lawyer Vincent Erik Petersen represented Wise.