Police Nab Seven Offenders in Weekend Underage Drinking Sting

The conducted an underage drinking sting this weekend and arrested seven offenders who are being charged with furnishing alcohol to minors.

On Friday and Saturday nights, May 18 and 19, officers surveilled various establishments in the Norristown area that serve take-out beer and alcoholic beverages. At each establishment, confidential informants who volunteered to help police in the sting would stand in front of the establishment and tell anyone who approached them that they were under 21 and the establishment would not allow them to purchase beer. In each instance, the defendant would offer to purchase the alcohol for the informant.

The following Norristown residents were arrested after officers observed them purchasing beer for the police informant:

• Joshua Schoonmaker, 31, of the 200 block of Wendover Drive
• Daryn Dixon Jr., 21, of 00 block of Montgomery Avenue
• Andre Johnson, 53, of the 500 block of West Airy Street
• Debbie Nixon, 51, of the 600 block of West Main Street
• Duane Alan Thompson, 46, of the 200 block of West Main Street
• Enoe Ambrocci Sveriano, 26, of the 500 block of Astor Street
• Eric Bittenbender, 41, of the 500 block of Green Street

One of the defendants, 31-year-old Joshua Schoonmaker, is also being charged with possession and possession with intent to distribute after a search of his person following his arrest revealed four one-gram rocks of crack cocaine, a cell phone and $215 in cash. Schoonmaker reportedly was not carrying any paraphernalia associated with consuming crack cocaine.