Accused of drugs, ex-police officer seeks a deal

A former Philadelphia police officer charged with dealing drugs and plotting to steal what he believed was a drug stash is negotiating a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.

Alhinde Weems, 34, was a 51/2-year veteran who had been a drug dealer before he became an officer and dealt drugs on the force, police said when he was arrested in March.

Weems was arrested at an area hotel as he was about to rob a man he believed to be a drug dealer, but who was a federal undercover agent.

U.S. prosecutors filed an "information" outlining the charges against Weems yesterday, which is often an indication a defendant will plead guilty.

"We're in negotiation on that issue right now," said his attorney, Jack J. McMahon Jr.

Weems is being held without bail. His arrest shocked city police, who were already coping with reports that officers had fabricated evidence in other drug investigations. Four veteran officers are under investigation.

Police were also concerned that Weems, who had no criminal record, made it through the department's screening process.

Weems, whose last assignment was in West Philadelphia's 18th District, has been dismissed from the force, said Lt. Frank Vanore, police spokesman. Weems is married, and has four children.

He was ensnared by a federal informant, and is charged with distributing crack or cocaine on three occasions in 2008 and 2009. He is also charged with trying to rob the supposed drug dealer March 27.

Prosecutors are also seeking to confiscate a number of weapons taken from Weems' home, including his service weapon, a Glock 9mm pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun, a .38-caliber handgun, a second 9mm handgun, and a variety of ammunition. McMahon said Weems had permits for all the firearms.

The investigation began in December after an informant, working with an agent from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, passed along information that Weems was a drug dealer, police said.

According to an arrest warrant, the informant bought an ounce of crack cocaine from Weems on Dec. 17 and 2 ounces of crack on Jan. 14.

On Jan. 29, Weems was allegedly involved in the sale of what he thought was a kilo of cocaine. The drug dealer, however, was the undercover ATF agent.

Later, Weems allegedly told the undercover agent that he wanted to discuss robbing a drug dealer's stash house, and offered to bring additional people for the job.

On March 27, Weems, the informant, and the undercover officer met at an undisclosed hotel before going to the stash house. About 10:30 a.m., FBI SWAT officers arrested Weems and a second man, Lamar C. Smith. Federal charges against Smith are pending.

If convicted of all counts, Weems faces a fine of $6.5 million and a maximum sentence of life in prison.