Meth arrest leads to search
Dirty Sanchez
By: KATIE O'CONNOR , Times Herald Staff 10/12/2004
WEST NORRITON - A routine vehicle stop Sunday night led to the discovery of
a chemical used to manufacture methamphetamine Monday morning on the 500
block of Canturbury Road.
West Norriton Chief of Police Robert Adams said police stopped a Ford Bronco
driven by Glen S. Holmes Jr. Sunday night near Main Street and Galbraith
Road because officers recognized Holmes and knew his license was suspended
due to a DUI offense. Officers found enough evidence Sunday night in his car
to charge him with possession of a controlled substance, specifically
methamphetamine, possession with intent to deliver and other drug offenses.
He was arraigned before District Justice Juanita Price and sent to county
prison on $100,000 cash bail.
Following up on his arrest, West Norriton Police, Montgomery County
detectives and members of the Montgomery County Drug Task Force executed a
search of Holmes' residence at 11 a.m. Monday and quickly discovered a
bucket filled with an unknown, suspicious liquid. The Pennsylvania State
Police Clandestine Lab Recovery Team then responded from Harrisburg and
three nearby townhouses were evacuated. Jefferson Fire Company and Plymouth
Ambulance were on the scene as well.
"The state police were here and continued the search and were ready to
leave, but West Norriton went back in and found a bottle of P2P in a hidden
compartment in the house," Adams said. "We're still uncertain what was in
the bucket, but the discovery of the P2P makes this all worthwhile."
Adams said P2P is used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine. He also
confirmed that there was not a methamphetamine lab in the townhouse.
"This has caused such upheaval in this neighborhood and although the
residents have been worried and inconvenienced, they have also been
tremendously patient," Adams said. "Someone even offered to cook dinner for
me."
West Norriton Police and the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office
are somewhat familiar with Holmes' family, specifically his father, Glenn
Holmes Sr.
Federal officials from the Drug Enforcement Agency raided Holmes Sr.'s house
on West Indian Lane in the Port Indian section of West Norriton in January
1998, days after a methamphetamine lab exploded in his Royersford factory.
Holmes Sr. was charged federally for manufacturing methamphetamine,
possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and aiding and
abetting, but he died before he was convicted.
Katie O'Connor can be reached at 610-272-2500, ext. 204 and
koco...@timesherald.com.
©The Times Herald 2004
