A Reading man was arrested on drug and weapons charges after authorities raided his residence Friday morning and seized drugs with a street value of more than $10,000.
Angel Benitez, 52, of the 100 block of West Elm Street, was arraigned later Friday by District Judge Alvin B. Robinson on charges of persons not to possess firearms; altering or obliterating marks of identification; prohibited offensive weapons; receiving stolen property; possessing and intending to deliver cocaine and marijuana; and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Benitez was committed to the Berks County Jail in lieu of $800,000.
Berks County detectives said Benitez has a prior conviction that prohibits him from legally possessing a firearm.
According to county detectives:
As part of a narcotics and firearms investigation in Reading that began in January, the Berks County Drug Task Force obtained search warrants for Benitez, his residence and his cellular device.
The Berks County Emergency Response Team served the warrants at Benitez’s residence Friday at 6:05 a.m., and Benitez was taken into custody without incident.
A .40-caliber Glock handgun with a “switch” is among the evidence seized by Berks County detectives in a raid at the residence of Angel Benitez in the 100 block of West Elm Street on Friday. (Courtesy of Berks County detectives)
Detectives seized the following:
• 100 grams of suspected crack cocaine.
• 23 prepackaged bags of suspect marijuana.
• Drug paraphernalia, including packaging materials for cocaine and marijuana.
• A .40-caliber Glock handgun equipped with an installed “switch.”
• An extended ammunition magazine and additional ammunition.
• Several digital scales.
• More than $500.
The estimated street value of the seized narcotics is $10,115.
Detectives noted the “switch” is an extremely dangerous device designed to bypass the safety mechanics of a semi-automatic firearm. Also known as a machine gun conversion device, the illegal attachment allows a handgun to fire multiple roundswith a single pull of the trigger, effectively turning it into a fully automatic weapon.
“These devices pose an extreme threat to public safety and law enforcement because the rapid-fire rate makes the firearm incredibly difficult to control,” they said in a release. “Switches often lead to stray bullets and unintended casualties, capable of turning a targeted incident into a mass-casualty event in seconds.”
Detectives said the investigation continues, and anyone with information is encouraged to contact the county detectives at 610-478-7171.
Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Crime Alert Berks County by calling 877-373-9913, using the ALERTBERKS app, or by texting ALERTBERKS and the tip to 847411.