NORRISTOWN — A Philadelphia man admitted that he illegally possessed a gun, methamphetamine and a stolen motorcycle when police discovered him trespassing at a vacant warehouse in Lower Providence Township.
Ryan Hemighaus, 35, most recently of the 400 block of Green Lane, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court to charges of carrying a firearm without a license, receiving stolen property, defiant trespass and possession of a controlled substance in connection with the Nov. 4, 2025, incident.
Judge Todd D. Eisenberg deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigation report about Hemighaus, who will undergo drug, alcohol and mental health evaluations.
Hemighaus, who also listed an address along North Cleveland Street in Philadelphia, faces a possible maximum sentence of 2 to 4 years in prison on the charges, which is being sought by prosecutors.
Assistant District Attorney Courtney McMonagle is handling the case. Defense lawyer Jason C. Kadish represented Hemighaus during the court proceeding.
Ryan Hemighaus is escorted by a deputy sheriff to a Montgomery County courtroom for his guilty plea hearing. (Photo by Carl Hessler Jr. – MediaNews Group)
Hemighaus did not comment about the charges as he was escorted by sheriff’s deputies from the courtroom. Hemighaus will remain in jail while awaiting his sentencing hearing.
The investigation began about 6:34 p.m. Nov. 4 when a Lower Providence police officer was dispatched to the 900 block of Rittenhouse Road in the Audubon section of the township for a report of suspicious activity, according to court documents.
At that location, according to police, is a warehouse structure that has been vacant for many years and there are “No Trespassing” signs posted around the exterior of the building.
The arriving officer found a motorcycle parked in the far northeast corner of the lot and determined the ignition was “punched,” allowing the vehicle to be started by a means other than a factory-issued key. The officer determined that the motorcycle had been reported stolen in Lower Merion on Oct. 27, 2025, according to the arrest affidavit.
Police also observed a backpack leaning against the motorcycle. When police checked the contents of the backpack they found a Glock 19 9mm firearm loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition. Police also found a debit card in Hemighaus’ name inside the backpack.
Ryan Hemighaus is taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies to await his sentencing hearing in Montgomery County Court. (Photo by Carl Hessler Jr. – MediaNews Group)
The search of the backpack also uncovered a small sandwich-type bag that contained a crystal rock-like substance determined to be methamphetamine
Hemighaus was found inside the vacant warehouse and was taken into custody for defiant trespass.
“A search incident to arrest was conducted of his person. Inside of his front sweatshirt pocket an orange-handle screwdriver was located. This screwdriver had been notched and altered at the tool end. This type of device can be used to manually start a vehicle or motorcycle that has a ‘punched’ ignition,” Lower Providence Police Corporal Jeremy S. Bonner alleged in the criminal complaint.
According to testimony and court documents, Hemighaus has a previous arrest and conviction for unlawful contact with a minor in Philadelphia.