James Michael Handzus, 51, and Tamara Louise Vincent, age 41, are facing numerous drug-related charges. Both are residents of Rifle, Colorado.
Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said her office received word that Handzus was using his 1959 Piper Comanche to fly large quantities of crystal meth into our area.
On Thursday, detectives discovered the plane at Wings Field in Whitpain Township. On Friday, an undercover detective posing as a drug trafficker met Handzus and Vincent at a restaurant/bar on Chemical Road in Plymouth Township.
Handzus and Vincent allegedly told the undercover detective they obtained crystal meth in Las Vegas, Nevada, and were interested in selling a pound of the drug for $27,000 in cash.
They haggled over the price and, at one point, the D.A. said the detective was given a small sample of the drug.
Eventually, Ferman said, the pair told the detective that the full pound of crystal meth was in their luggage, located in a vehicle in the parking lot. When they went out to the car, Handzus and Vincent were arrested.
Due to Handzus' admitted use of his airplane to transport controlled substances, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office says it is seeking forfeiture of the aircraft. They will either auction it off to the public or put in use for the enforcement of drug laws.
Handzus and Vincent were arraigned and placed behind bars on $500,000 cash bail.
