Heads Up Cocaine Ring Suspects Waive Preliminary Hearings

One by one, they came in front of District Court Judge William Maruszczak who was presiding in Courtoom 6 of the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, instead of his usual smaller District Court 38-1-09 courtroom.

Twenty-six of 27 defendants, some representing themselves, some with public defenders, and some with high-profile, high-priced defense lawyers, all agreed to waive their right to a preliminary hearing on the charges against them. One defendant, who also waived a preliminary hearing, did not appear in the courtroom.

Those charges run the gamut of illegal drug crimes from posession, up to running a massive drug distribution network out of a Tredyffrin barbershop.

Among the suspects is Alan Kirsch, Jr., of Gladwyne.

Kirsch, 53, faces charges of corrupt organization, possession of cocaine, criminal conspiracy, criminal use of telecommunications facilities and dealing in the proceeds of criminal activities.

In the criminal indictment, officials allege Anthony Dennis, along with his brother Michael Dennis, distributed large quantities of cocaine to drug dealers throughout the Main Line, including Philadelphia, Montgomery and Chester counties.

Prosecutors say the Dennis Drug Trafficking Organization operating in part from a , supplied cocaine to James "Twin" Adams in Norristown. Following court approval of wire taps on the Dennis brothers and Adams, officials monitored the trio's phones from April 13, 2011, to May 18, 2011. 

Read the full .

By waiving their right to a preliminary hearing, the defendants in essence concede that police and prosecutors have enough evidence to merit bringing a case to court.

Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Strubel is leading the prosecution team. As each defendant came in front of the judge she told the judge they had agreed to waive their preliminary hearing. Each defendant and defense attorney then signed a form and received a CD containing evidence used to charge them, much of which was collected using search warrants and court-approved wire taps of cell phones.

Because none of the suspects asked for a hearing, none of the evidence was presented in open court. Much of the evidence has already been on public display.  joined  and a host of local, state and federal agencies in announcing the raids and arrests in Operation Heads Up.

What Happens Next

The court case follows a nearly three years-long investigation. It will take some time to wend its way through the legal system. Strubel tells Patch that prosecutors plan to try the cases together for "judicial economy."

The cases now go to the Court of Common Pleas. There will be a judicial conference scheduled with the judge that will now be assigned to the case. The conference with the lawyers and the judge will be to work out details of how and when the case will proceed.

In the meantime, suspects in the case could theoretically strike deals (if offered), decide to enter a plea or move forward with defending themselves at a trial.

Because of the scope of the case and the number of defendants, no time table has yet been established for a judicial conference, let alone court proceedings.