National Drug Ring Shut Down by Montco Law Enforcement, Police Say

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Ferman has announced eight arrests in connection with Operation "Weed Whacker," which sought to bring down a multimillion-dollar marijuana trafficking ring.

According to the press release, the DA's Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET) began an investigation in September of 2012 into the trafficking of high-grade marijuana in Whitpain Township. Two months into the investigation, detectives learned that hundreds of pounds of marijuana were being distributed throughout southeastern Pennsylvania by two brothers, identified as Dennis Frederick, 40, of Delaware County, and Jeffrey Frederick, 32, of Philadelphia, the release states.

Through the use of wiretaps, investigators tied the Frederick brothers' to Charles Sadrin, 57, of California, whom they believed was the source of the marijuana supply, police said. Sadrin would reportedly pack pounds of marijuana into large, orange tool boxes in Sacramento, and would use a freight service to deliver them to a location in Delaware County.

Sadrin would then rent a pickup truck and would pick up his own boxes in Delco, before delivering them to Dennis Frederick at a garge on Sigel Street in Philadelphia, according to the report. Sadrin would then ship the empty contains back to Sacramento using the same freight service, police said.

The report states that in total, Sadrin is believed to have shipped 3,672 pounds of high-grade marijuana to Frederick from January 2012 through April 2013, at a per-pound rate of $4,000.

"We're talking about an organization that in less than one-and-half years has moved $14.5 million," said Ferman, in a report by FOX 29. "That is massive."

On May 7, Sadrin reportedly picked up three containers at the Delco freight company, which he then took to the garage in Philadelphia. Police executed a warrant while both Sadrin, Frederick, and a third man, identified as Ernest Peterkin, 24, of Philadelphia, were inside the garage, according to the report.

Along with the three men, police discovered over 270 pounds of marijuana and $450,000, the report states. 

Police then executed another 18 search warrants across Philadelphia and Delaware counties, bringing the total amount of recovered marijuana to 400 pounds, along with four firearms, seven vehicles and over 30 cell phones, according to the report.

Sadrin and the Frederick brothers' were arraigned on May 7 on charges of corrupt organization, possession with intent to deliver, criminal conspiracy, dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities and criminal use of a communication facility.

All three were held on $4 million bail, which didn't sit well with Dennis Frederick's attorney, Hope Lefeber.

"This is not about cocaine, it's not about crack, heroin or all of the other very addictive drugs," said Lefeber, in a report by FOX 29. "It's about pot." 

Also arrested were:

• Ernest Peterkin, 24, of Philadelphia
• Stanislav Dubovsky, 26, of Philadelphia
• Martin Williams, 31, of Philadelphia
• Earl DeSantis, 45, of Delaware County
• John Walker, 29, of Delaware County

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