Major Bucks Co. Meth 'Empire' Busted: DA

BENSALEM, PA — A meth-dealing "empire" that distributed more than $900,000 worth of the drug every week in Bucks County has been taken down, law enforcement officials say.

Led by William "Beetle" Jefferson — whom associates described as a "monster" — the meth ring sold pounds of the drug at a time in quart-sized cans and used locations including a Bristol car detailing shop to hide and sell the drugs, according to prosecutors.

Jefferson, 57, of Philadelphia, was one of 17 people charged this week by the Bucks County Detectives Drug Strike Force and Bensalem Township Police. He was arraigned by District Judge Michael W. Gallagher on Wednesday and is being held in lieu of 10 percent of $2 million bail.

The arrests mark the second drug ring bust announced by Bucks County authorities this week. Last week, a former Bucks County Correctional Facility guard was among nine people charged in what prosecutors say was a ring that smuggled the opiate Suboxone into the jail.

"We took down the Suboxone prison drug trafficking ring last week. We blew up the Beetle Jefferson meth trafficking empire this week," said Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub. "Our drug strike force and Bensalem Police maximized their ... partnerships to battle major drug trafficking in Bucks County. More to come."

Led by Jefferson, the drug ring was a "main source supplier" that moved about 20 pounds of methamphetamine to drug dealers every week for the past three years, prosecutors say. That's more than $900,000 worth of meth, the DA's office said.

To hide and distribute its drugs, the Jefferson organization used locations in Lower Bucks County including Detail Doctor, a car detailing service in Bristol Township, authorities said. The shop's owners, James Kurtz, 58, of Morrisville, and David Reil, 38, of Langhorne, are among the 17 people charged.

A police search of the now-defunct business on Wednesday turned up a stolen gun and a "distribution amount" of methamphetamine, the DA's office said.

Jefferson is charged with counts of corrupt organizations, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, criminal use of a communications facility and related conspiracy counts.

Also charged in the case are:

• Larry Tirrel Dempsey, 47, of Philadelphia
• Courtney K. Lewis, 42, of Philadelphia
• Tenny Roscoe, 52, of Philadelphia
• Wayne Carberry, 52, of Bensalem
• Shawn Toner, 37, of Bristol Township
• William Friemann, 51, of Bristol Township
• George Melavas, 44, of Bristol Township
• Corrine Weeks, 20, of Philadelphia
• Michael P. Detty, 61, of Bristol Township
• Robin Tillman, 53, of Falls Township
• Danielle Kath Archibald, 33, of Bristol Township
• Charles Rose, 48, of Falls Township
• Stephen Rose, 43, of Falls Township
• Patricia Dailey, 39, of Willow Grove

According to charging documents, the investigation into the group began in 2017 with street level dealers and grew through cooperation among law enforcement agencies.

The Drug Strike Force and Bensalem Police conducted their investigation with Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI Bucks County Violent Crimes Unit, with the support of Homeland Security Investigations and Liberty Mid-Atlantic HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area).

The Bristol Township Police Department, Falls Township Police Department, Middletown Township Police Department, Bristol Borough Police Department, Philadelphia Police Department and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General participated in the investigation.

All but one of the case's 17 defendants, an accused lower level drug dealer, have been arrested and arraigned, according to prosecutors, and most are being held on significant bail.