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Naim Payton, 23, of Morrisville, was set to sell a large quantity of the uncut, highly lethal drug on Monday, April 25, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said.
Detectives spotted him on the 400 block of North Evans Street in Pottstown that evening, and stopped his car, Steele said alongside Pottstown Police Chief Mick Markovich.
Detectives stopped Payton’s car and found 1,500 bags of uncut fentanyl. The 1,500 doses of fentanyl were packaged for sale in 10-baggie bundles, then five bundles were packaged into a “brick,” and five of those bricks were packaged together into a “rack.” The seized fentanyl has a street value of approximately $20,000.
“Fentanyl is continuing to kill Montgomery County residents at an alarming rate, even as methamphetamine is becoming more prevalent throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania," Steele said.
"This significant arrest and seizure will make Montgomery County a safer place,” said DA Steele. “The message is clear to drug dealers: no matter what poison you are selling—fentanyl, opioids, heroin or methamphetamine—don’t do it in Montgomery County.”
Payton was arrested on felony Possession With Intent to Deliver as well as Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of a Small Amount of Marijuana.
He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Scott T. Palladino on April 26, who set bail at $150,000 cash. The bail was reviewed in the Court of Common Pleas on April 27, and modified to $99,000 cash.
Payton was unable to post bail and was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for set for 8:45 a.m., May 19, before Judge Palladino.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Allison Ruth, Captain of the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Unit.
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