Crime & Safety

Ex-Cop Enters Guilty Pleas for Guns, Drug Charges

Former Hatboro Police detective sergeant John Becker pleaded guilty to 18 of 38 counts stemming from drugs, weapons thefts and his misuse of informants to obtain drugs for his own personal use.

A former Hatboro Police officer of 17 years is facing up to 100 years behind bars following a guilty plea he entered Tuesday morning.

, 43, of Horsham, wept as he left the courtroom at Montgomery County Courthouse following what was supposed to have been a pre-trial conference. Instead, Becker entered guilty pleas for 18 counts – 10 of which are felony firearms counts, each carrying a five to 10-year sentence.

Judge Garrett Page warned Becker that by pleading guilty to charges stemming from the Attorney General’s Office filing against him in May, that he had a “50-year exposure” and that the high end of his sentencing could result in sentences running consecutively for up to 100 years.

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Until his , Becker had worked as a Hatboro Police officer. According to the criminal complaint against him, beginning in December 2009 and continuing through January 2011, Becker had convinced or coerced several informants – under the guise of furthering narcotics investigations – to buy prescription drugs, as well as cocaine, for his own personal use. Becker, who had served as the police department’s evidence custodian, is also said to have stolen guns, cash and drugs from the department’s evidence locker.

Becker declined comment Tuesday. His attorney, Vincent DiFabio, declined comment except to say that he would be filing a sentencing memorandum that would offer “great detail” about why his client entered guilty pleas.

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Becker signed a waiver to allow the sentencing to occur beyond the 90-day requirement. His sentencing has not yet been set. He remains free on bail.


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