Phila. officer charged with drug dealing

Philadelphia Police Officer Alhinde Weems showed up at an area hotel yesterday morning, authorities said, armed and ready to take down a local drug dealer, and willing to shoot if necessary.

The drug dealer, however, was the fabrication of an undercover officer, and the target of the sting was Weems, a 5 1/2-year veteran who "dishonored the badge," Deputy Commissioner Richard Ross said at a news conference yesterday at Police Headquarters. Ross was joined by federal authorities who conducted the months-long investigation of Weems.

Weems, federal authorities allege, dealt drugs before becoming a policeman and continued to do so after he joined the force.

Weems, 33, assigned to the 18th District in West Philadelphia, faces 25 years in prison if convicted of dealing drugs and conspiracy. His alleged accomplice, Lamar Smith, 27, also of Philadelphia, was charged with conspiracy.

The charges shocked the officer's wife, Shena Marie Weems, 31, who described her husband as a good father "who loves his job."

"I don't know what to do," she said at their home on West Roosevelt Boulevard in Olney. "I'm hearing all different types of stories."

Shena Weems, a nurse at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, said she spent much of the afternoon trying to learn what happened and taking calls from friends and family.

The arrest comes at a disturbing time in the department. A narcotics officer remains under investigation into allegations that he used bogus information to obtain search warrants. Another 18th District officer is on trial in federal court on charges of stealing drugs and money from dealers.

In unusually harsh tones, the president of the Fraternal Order of Police lodge condemned Weems' alleged actions. "He's got a problem, because we won't be representing him," union president John McNesby said. "You can't deal drugs and be a Philadelphia police officer.

"When the FBI has you, they have you."

Ross said the allegations against Weems were unrelated to the two other cases.

He said there was no indication that other officers were involved with Weems' alleged crimes, which "sickened" those in the department who investigated them.

"The facts that will come forth indicate that this male dishonored the badge in a way that is unconscionable to us," Ross said.

Ross said authorities would try to determine how Weems - who has no criminal record - made it through the screening process for hiring, which includes neighborhood interviews.

Linda Hoffa, chief of the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Philadelphia, said the Weems investigation began in December, after an informant working with an agent from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives passed along information implicating the officer.

The information was that "Officer Weems was a drug dealer, and that he had been a drug dealer before he was a police officer, and that he continued to be a drug dealer after he became a Philadelphia police officer," Hoffa said.

According to a affidavit arrest warrant:

The informant bought an ounce of crack cocaine from Weems on Dec. 17 and two ounces of crack Jan. 14.

"After that, an undercover agent from the ATF was introduced into this investigation and the undercover agent represented himself to be a big-time drug dealer," Hoffa said.

On Jan. 29, authorities allege, Weems was involved in the sale of what he thought was a kilo of cocaine. The drug dealer, however, was actually the undercover ATF agent, the cocaine was fake, and the meeting was secretly videotaped.

During another meeting that also was videotaped, on Feb. 25, Weems allegedly told the undercover agent he wanted to pull a home-invasion robbery of a drug dealer's stash house. Weems even offered to bring additional people for the job.

Two days later, they met again to discuss the home invasion, and Weems offered to provide firearms.

On Monday, Weems indicated in a text message that he was still interested in the home invasion.

On Wednesday, Weems met with the confidential informant and the undercover agent to discuss the robbery planned for yesterday. Weems brought along an accomplice, a man named "Smallman" whose identity was never revealed to authorities.

Yesterday, Weems, Smallman, the confidential informant and the undercover officer were to meet at an undisclosed hotel before going to the stash house. Smallman, however, backed out, and Lamar Smith showed up in his place. About 10:30 a.m., FBI SWAT officers closed in, and arrested Smith and Weems.

Weems, authorities said, had in his possession a badge and a gun.

The officer's wife said FBI agents arrived at their home about noon yesterday with a search warrant and left with four firearms. No drugs were found, she said.

"I'm surprised and very shocked. He takes both of our sons to sports activities. He's a good father," she said. The couple have two sons, ages 7 and 9, and two daughters, 3 and 13. They also care for her husband's 14-year-old sister.

"He's been a policeman for five years. What I thought I knew, I didn't know," she said, her eyes welling.

Weems was arraigned in federal court yesterday and ordered held without bail pending a detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday.

His court-appointed lawyer, Jeffrey M. Lindy, said he had not met Weems and had not read the complaint.