NORRISTOWN — A Philadelphia man has admitted to unlawfully carrying a firearm in Norristown, a crime police uncovered during a traffic stop in the borough.
David Adams-Wright, 21, of the 5700 block of Rodman Street, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court to felony charges of carrying a firearm without a license, receiving stolen property and conspiracy to receive stolen property in connection with a July 2023 incident in Norristown.
Judge Steven T. O’Neill deferred sentencing so that court officials could complete a background investigation report about Adams-Wright.
The open guilty plea means Adams-Wright has no deals with prosecutors regarding his potential sentence. Adams-Wright, who faces a potential sentence of several months to up to two years in prison under state sentencing guidelines, remains free on bail pending a sentencing hearing later this year.
An investigation began about 4:30 a.m. July 20 when Norristown police observed a Kia Sportage vehicle traveling westbound on West Marshall Street with three occupants inside who were wearing masks. Police determined the registration on the vehicle had expired and they conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle in the 500 block of Markley Street, according to a criminal complaint.
The male driver of the vehicle told police he didn’t have a driver’s license and he was detained.
Adams-Wright was seated in the front passenger seat of the vehicle and police noticed he was carrying a small zipper bag across his chest.
“When asked if he had any weapons on him he stated, ‘I have protection on me,’” Norristown Police Officer Richard DeStefano alleged in the arrest affidavit, referring to Adams-Wright. “Police located a gray Ruger 9mm semiautomatic handgun in the bag.”
The gun was registered to a relative of Adams-Wright, police determined.
With the charges, police alleged Adams-Wright did not have a license to carry a concealed weapon.
A third male who was seated in the rear passenger seat was subject of an active warrant out of Philadelphia and he too was detained, according to court documents.
During the investigation, police determined the vehicle occupied by the three men had been reported stolen in Philadelphia, according to the arrest affidavit.
