February 25, 2015

Police in Montco arrest 32 suspected of drug trafficking

Investigation reveals link to supplier in Columbia

By Lane Blackmer
PhillyVoice Contributor

Source/Montgomery County District Attorney's Office

Arrested, clockwise from top left, were Angelo Betancourt, Jr., 41, of Philadelphia; Michael Daly, 54, of Norristown; Charles Termine, 46, of Norristown; and Douglas Ehrhart, 52, of Norristown.

Thirty-two suspects have been arrested and charged in connection with two overlapping drug rings, Montgomery County officials announced Wednesday.

District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said authorities began investigating the drug rings in January 2014 after a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) wiretap in Columbia exposed a link to the Montgomery County ring. The DEA shared its information with the Montgomery County Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET) that showed several international telephone calls between a Colombian-based trafficker and a resident of Norristown.

NET subsequently launched an investigation of Michael Daly, 54, of Norristown and Angelo Betancourt Jr., 41, of Philadelphia, while DEA and the Colombian National Police monitored the activities of the trafficker, Juan Carlos Jaramillo-Gonzalez.

Prosecutors said Jamamillo-Gonzalez, Daly and Betancourt Jr. developed and maintained a relationship after serving sentences at a federal prison in the '90s.

A confidential informant provided information about Daly allegedly selling heroin and cocaine in Montgomery County. In October 2014, NET learned that Daly had allegedly supplied a known Norristown drug dealer with “bundles of heroin” for resale. At that point, NET made the investigation a priority due to the rise in heroin-related overdoses in the county, officials said.

On Jan. 23, police seized $37,800 worth of cocaine, $70,000 worth of methamphetamine, numerous prescription pills, eight guns, 10 cell phones, five vehicles used to transport drugs and various drug paraphernalia from several locations.

In addition to Daly and Betancourt Jr., prosecutors charged Douglas James Ehrhart, 52, of Norristown, and Charles J. Termine, 46, of Norristown, with supplying crystal methamphetamine. All four men face felony drug charges, prosecutors said.

The ring allegedly distributed drugs around Southeastern Pennsylvania, authorities said.

Also facing felony drug charges are:

Brian Beckett, Philadelphia

Mary Eileen Henning, Norristown

Anthony Taverno, Norristown

Glenn R. Titus III, Spring City

The following persons are charged with felony use of a communications device and misdemeanor violations of the drug act:

Michael A. Casey, Norristown

Michael L. Chant, Blue Bell

Patricia Chant, Blue Bell

Louise C. DeVincent, Norristown

Stephen Edward Drum, Eagleville