Christopher Newby : Man Sentenced to 8½ to 20 Years for Drug Bust

MEDIA COURTHOUSE — A man from Philadelphia has been handed a sentence of 8½ to 20 years in a state prison and has been ordered to forfeit nearly $400,000 after admitting his involvement in a high-level narcotics operation that was dismantled by Marple Township police in 2022.

Christopher P. Newby, aged 34 and hailing from the 100 block of Parker Avenue, entered into negotiated guilty pleas before Common Pleas Court Judge John Capuzzi on charges including dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities, possession of a firearm prohibited, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver as a second or subsequent offense, corrupt organizations, and conspiracy.

Newby was arrested in June 2022 alongside Asim S. “Black” Robinson, 28, of the 7300 block of Bunting Place, and Craig T. “Juice” Russell, 31, of the 7600 block of Langdon Street. The arrests followed an 18-month investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Delaware County Drug Task Force.

Russell has already pleaded guilty in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court to possession of a firearm prohibited and possession with intent to deliver, resulting in a sentence of 20 years of probation.

Robinson, represented by defense counsel David Nenner, successfully petitioned to have his case separated from Newby’s earlier this month and is yet to receive a new court date. He remains in custody at the county jail in Concord on bail set at $500,000.

Robinson is facing charges of corrupt organizations, dealing in the proceeds of illegal activities, possession with intent to distribute, criminal use of a communication facility, firearms offenses, drug delivery resulting in death, and involuntary manslaughter for the October overdose of another alleged conspirator, Michael Dougherty.

Dougherty, believed to be the main distributor in the local area, was found suffering from a drug overdose in Springfield on Oct. 26, 2022, and was pronounced dead at the scene from a combination of fentanyl and xylazine, a horse tranquilizer. His cellphone and iPad allegedly showed a text to a contact stored as “Juice” arranging a drug buy four days earlier.

Lengthy investigation

In February 2023, District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer announced that more than 10,475 bags of fentanyl and 11 illegal firearms were seized during the investigation.

The investigation into all four men commenced in August 2021 when Russell was identified as selling narcotics to an undercover officer in the greater Philadelphia region, according to affidavits of probable cause written by Marple Township Sgt. Nicholas Coffin, Trooper Luke McIlvane, and Springfield Officer Michael Kingsbury.

Troopers executed a search warrant at Russell’s Langdon Street apartment in December 2021 and recovered various drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, as well as two handguns, one of which had been reported stolen, according to the affidavits.

In January 2022, investigators learned that Dougherty was being supplied by Russell and the other suspects to distribute “significant quantities” of controlled substances in the area. Dougherty also made four drug sales to an undercover officer in May 2022, as per the affidavits.

Task force members simultaneously served search warrants on Newby and Dougherty’s residences on June 1, 2022, resulting in the seizure of hundreds of baggies of fentanyl, along with large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, Xanax, and other assorted narcotics, the affidavit shows.

Dougherty allegedly identified Newby and Russell as his main suppliers at that time.

The investigation against Robinson was launched in November and December 2022. An undercover officer made four purchases from Robinson during that period, including bags stamped with the name “Get Lucky,” according to the affidavits. Springfield police allegedly found baggies with the same name near Dougherty’s body in October.

State police raided a stash house and headquarters for the criminal organization on Dec. 21 at a property on the 5000 block of Lancaster Avenue in Philadelphia, recovering additional handguns, approximately 7,700 doses of fentanyl, more than 600 bags of fentanyl, 240 vials of crack cocaine, baggies of methamphetamine, and assorted paraphernalia, including two kilogram presses used to repackage cut product.

Investigators also searched two vehicles at the same location identified in the affidavits as Robinson’s stash cars and recovered hundreds more baggies containing fentanyl, methamphetamine, marijuana, and cocaine, another gun, and $5,632.

Robinson was apprehended during a simultaneous raid on a Bala Cynwyd apartment and a third vehicle, where officers found another $6,895, smaller quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine, and a black iPhone that allegedly linked all three of the surviving suspects together.

“(E)xamination of Dougherty’s cellular devices indicated that he had contact with (that cellphone number) over the course of the last two years and that the number was utilized by Russell, Newby, and Robinson at different points in time, moving on from Russell and Newby once they were incarcerated continuously starting on Dec. 17, 2021, and June 1, 2022, respectively,” the affidavits read.

‘A better man’

The negotiated guilty plea reached by Assistant District Attorney Sophia Polites and defense attorney Joseph L. Coleman required Newby to forfeit $385,856 seized during the investigation, as well as three firearms and luxury items such as jewelry and sneakers. He must also provide a DNA sample to state police.

Newby has been in custody since his arrest on June 22, 2022, on 10% of $500,000 cash bail. He was given credit for time served until Tuesday but is not eligible for early release. Newby must also complete a one-year reentry program upon his release from prison.

Coleman requested that the judge recommend Newby be sent to Chester SCI, as he is dealing with drug issues that led him into this life and that prison is specifically geared towards treatment.

Coleman added that while this sentence is on the lower end of the guideline range for these offenses, his client is accepting responsibility and has two young daughters at home.

“He told me, ‘I just want to come out of this a better man, come out and be a father to my children,’” Coleman said.

Judge Capuzzi stated that he was accepting the plea largely based on Newby’s acceptance of responsibility and encouraged him to enroll in various courses while incarcerated, which always looks favorable when prisoners come up for parole.