Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Former Officer Alhinde Weems Pleads Guilty to Dealing Drugs

A former Philadelphia police officer pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to dealing drugs and planning to rob a supposed drug stash. Alhinde Weems, 34, faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison - and a maximum of life - when sentenced in May.

Weems, a 51/2-year veteran when he was arrested in March, was a drug dealer before he became an officer and continued his dealings while on the force, according to authorities. He was arrested at an area hotel as he was about to rob a man he believed was a drug dealer, but who was really a federal undercover agent.

"He appeared to be motivated by greed," Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carrillo said yesterday.

Weems, whose last assignment was in West Philadelphia's 18th Police District, admitted to selling crack cocaine, buying and transporting what he believed to be genuine cocaine in 2008-09, and planning, and attempting to commit, a gunpoint home-invasion robbery of a drug dealer.

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