Former Cop Busted on Meth Distribution Charges

An Upper Merion man and former 28-year veteran of the Norristown Police Department was arrested Tuesday afternoon on charges related to the distribution of methamphetamine and illegal bookmaking, the Montgomery County District Attorney's office announced Thursday.

Jack Pennington, who retired from the police department in 1995, was taken into custody at the after an alleged exchange that included three ounces of crystal methamphetamine and almost $7,000 in cash, according to the criminal complaint filed by county detective James Vinter. 

When he was arrested, Pennington was allegedly found to be in possession of his "retired" Norristown Police badge and $9,470 in cash.

"He kept using his badge" as he conducted criminal activities, District Attorney Risa Ferman said.

Authorities said they began investigating Pennington following an anonymous tip in late March.

Pennington allegedly used Steppy's bar and restaurant at the Facenda-Whitaker Lanes bowling alley in East Norriton as his base of operations.

Subsequent searches of Pennington's Upper Merion home and his silver Cadillac yielded an additional $3,000 in cash, five handguns and ammunition, digital scales and other materials allegedly used for weighing and distributing crystal methamphetamine, and an "undetermined quantity" of the drug itself.

Authorities said that unspecified evidence of illegal bookmaking was also found in Pennington's home. 

Pennington is being held in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility on $2 million bail.

"He thought he was above the law. He thought the law didn't apply to him," Ferman said.

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