Montgomery County, PA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAY 29, 2009

 

 

 

 

 

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman and Royersford Police Chief J. Kevin Schurr announce the arrest of Parag Patel for drug law violations. 

 

Parag Patel, 24 years of age, is the manager of a convenience store, Country Farms.  The store is located at 799 Main Street, Royersford Borough, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. 

 

Detectives from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Narcotics Enforcement Team visited to store on Thursday, May 21, 2009.  While shopping, they noticed bowls and bongs commonly used by Marijuana users on display and for sale in the store.  An undercover detective engaged the manager of the store in conversation about the drug paraphernalia while purchasing those items.  On one occasion, Patel said to the undercover detective, “You’re not a cop, are you?” 

 

Due to the store’s close proximity to the Springford campus of the Middle and High Schools and a private school, detectives took immediate action.  A search warrant for the premises was served in the afternoon of Friday, May 22, 2009.  

 

Items seized from the store included more than sixty (60) Marijuana bowls, pipes, bongs; approximately two hundred (200) glass Crack Cocaine pipes; grinders used to process Marijuana; rolling papers and machines; screens and other drug paraphernalia; and $1,569 in cash.  The drug paraphernalia was displayed on shelving on the wall behind the registers and under the countertop near the cash registers.  The Marijuana bowls, pipes and bongs ranged in price from $30.00 to $60.00 a piece. 

 

Though a sign was posted “For tobacco use only,” Patel admitted he knew the items are for the illegal use of drugs.

 

The store owner was charged with 35 P.S. 780-113, (32) and (33): Possession, Delivery and Possession with Intent to Deliver Drug Paraphernalia (knowing, or under circumstances where on reasonably should know, that it would be used to inhale or otherwise introduce into the human body a controlled substance).  These charges are Misdemeanors and upon conviction there is a fine of up to $2,500 or imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both. 

 

The defendant, who resides along 800 block of Walnut Street in Royersford, was arraigned before District Justice Walter Gadzicki on May 28, 2009.  Bail was set at $ 3,000.00 (Unsecured).  The Defendant is ordered to appear in District Court on June 4, 2009 at 10:00 AM for a preliminary hearing. 

 

      Approved for release,

 

 

 

      Kevin R. Steele