Police Beat

A Lansdale man is behind bars in connection with allegedly burglarizing a home in Abington Township. Police say Thomas Dennis broke in to a home in Elkins Park, ransacking the home and piling up property at the front door. According to police, Dennis’ cover was blown when someone saw him enter the home and called police. Officers surrounded the home, but Dennis fled through a rear window. Police chased the 36-year-old man. One officer caught up with Dennis, who allegedly was reaching in to his pockets, but the officers was able to arrest him after drawing their weapons. Dennis, a resident of Brookside Drive, is being held in the Montgomery County Prison on 100-thousand dollars bail. He faces multiple charges and an April 9th preliminary hearing. The Burglary happened on March 27th.

Towamencin Township will add another police car to its fleet of police cruisers. The Board of Supervisors voted to purchase a Dodge Charger, a vehicle that’s become popular with various police departments across the region. The township is also saving on the cost of the new vehicle, thanks to the method of purchase. The Charger will be purchased through a Lancaster dealership by way of a state contract, saving the township 23-hundred dollars. The cost of the charger is nearly 24-thousand dollars. Two supervisors voted against the move. One supervisor called it a low priority, while another supervisor questioned the purchase in an uncertain economy.

54 counts of rape involving a 5-year-old girl, charges that a Lansdale man faces in connection with the sexual abuse that dates back to December of 2011. 41-year-old, Samuel Arthur waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Montgomery County Court on Tuesday. Arthur faces a formal arraignment on May 8th. Arthur’s wife, Anita, was in court Tuesday supporting her husband’s claim that he did not commit the crimes. Anita Bouhourie lives with four minor children. Arthur’s bail has been reduced from 175-thousand dollars to 99-thousand dollars and he’s ordered to have no contact with his wife’s children.

It’s three to six years in state prison for a man who was involved in a meth ring. 44-year-old, Frank Messina, was sentenced Tuesday in Montgomery County Court. Authorities say, Messina, an Upper Gwynedd resident, conspired with numerous participants to delivery and use meth. Prosecutors say that Messina’s involvement occurred between December of 2011 and March of last year. When he’s paroled, Messina will face 21-years of supervised probation. Judge Thomas Gavin called Messina a drug dealer and drug user, using lies and manipulation to get what he wanted. The prosecution says Messina was a key cog in the meth operation and deserved additional prison time.