Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele Honors 43 Officers & 8 Civilians

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — Five Abington Township police officers and one local volunteer were among a number of law enforcement officers and civilians recently honored by Montgomery County's top prosecutor for heroic acts of bravery.

District Attorney Kevin Steele recognized a total of 43 law enforcement officers and eight civilians from across the county during the commendation ceremony Oct. 7, which is meant to highlight exemplary efforts in protecting and serving the residents of Montgomery County.

"Montgomery County residents are always willing to step up to help our law enforcement officers do their job of keeping us all safe and making sure criminals are apprehended and prosecuted," Steele said in a statement. "These honorees are among the best, and I am proud to honor each of these civilians and law enforcement officers for their actions."

Among those honored were three Abington Township Police detectives who Steele said helped with the successful investigation and prosecution of a predator who sexually assaulted two children. Those detectives are Rick Beaghley, Shawn Nesbit and Cindy Pettinato.

Beaghley was also recognized as part of a team of officers from Abington, Lansdale, Upper Merion, Conshohocken and New Hanover Township who are involved in countywide efforts to protect children from Internet predators and for their work in countywide child pornography cases.

Two other Abington Township officers were honored for their part in countywide drug work such as investigating overdose deaths and going after drug dealers who sell what the district attorney calls the "deadly poison." Those two officers are Nate Walters and Detective Zach Zeoli.

Abington resident Ken Hoffman was the local civilian who received an honor for his more than 20 years of volunteering in Abington Township, much of that volunteerism having been done with the Abington Township Police Department.

Others nearby were honored for their bravery in dealing with a deadly Walmart shooting that occurred back in 2018 in Cheltenham Township, which neighbors Abington.

Those recognized with respect to that event were Cheltenham Police Officer Matt Hungerford, who rushed into the Walmart as the shooting was in progress, and civilian Duongvida "Vimu" Ros, the 911 caller who observed Walmart shooter Keenan Jones ditch his gun and who then waited at the scene for police to arrive to show responding officers where the firearm was located.

Jones, a Philadelphia resident in his early 30s, was convicted at an October 2019 trial of attempted murder and numerous other counts related to the shooting, during which five people were wounded.

Jones was subsequently sent to 25 to 62 years in prison in January 2020.

In addition to those officers already mentioned, other law enforcement officers were also recognized by Steele during the recent ceremony, including those from police departments in the following communities: Lower Merion, Upper Merion, Limerick, Upper Providence and Upper Gwynedd.

Norristown Fire Department Chief Thomas O'Donnell was recognized for his efforts to save a family and its pets after a suspect threw a firebomb at the home's porch.

Also honored were three Pennsylvania State Police troopers who investigated what Steele called a "heinous relationship violence murder" in Perkiomen Township. Those state police troopers are Richard W. Sanzick, Jr., Todd Wright, and Sgt. Thomas Falcon.

In addition to the two civilians already mentioned, the other six non-law enforcement individuals honored during the ceremony were Tim Snowberger, William Tobin, Linda Sposato, Tracy Thompson, Nadirah Muhammad and Kyle Stewart.