NORRISTOWN >> A Douglass (Mont.) man has admitted to illegally carrying a 9 mm handgun and a spring-loaded knife in Pottstown and is on his way to jail.
John Charles Albertson II, 34, of the first block of Windward Drive, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 111/2 to 23 months in the county jail, to be followed by three years’ probation, after he pleaded guilty to charges of firearms not to be carried without a license and prohibited offensive weapons in connection with a November 2015 incident outside the McDonald’s restaurant on East High Street.
Judge Todd D. Eisenberg also ordered Albertson to forfeit all his weapons to county detectives.
An investigation of Albertson began about 8:43 p.m. Nov. 13, 2015, when Pottstown police were dispatched to the McDonald’s for a report of a male allegedly soliciting drugs on the south side of the restaurant. When police arrived they encountered Albertson attempting to enter a gray Honda truck and reaching toward the passenger side of the vehicle, court documents indicate.
“For officer safety I asked Albertson to step back out of the vehicle to which he obliged. During my contact with Albertson he appeared nervous and shaky,” Pottstown Police Officer Anthony Fischer alleged in the arrest affidavit.
During questioning by police, Albertson revealed he had a firearm on him and agreed to be searched.
“I recovered the firearm which was hidden in Albertson’s waistband beneath his hooded sweatshirt,” Fischer alleged. “It should be noted that the firearm was loaded with a round chambered.”
Albertson admitted he did not have a concealed carry license.
When police searched Albertson’s vehicle they found three spring-loaded knives, a 9 mm hollow point bullet and alleged drug paraphernalia, including a scale containing marijuana residue and a glass smoking pipe, according to the criminal complaint. A search of Albertson uncovered a small bag containing methamphetamine and a small bag containing Xanax.
Albertson allegedly referred to the crystal methamphetamine as “speed,” advising it was his and that he “snorts it,” according to the criminal complaint.
Albertson also was charged with possessing methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a small amount of marijuana but those charges were dismissed in exchange for Albertson’s guilty plea to the weapons-related charges.
