Abington man sent to jail on charges of heroin trafficking

NARYSTOWN – A judge has sent Abington’s man to jail for at least ten years after detectives found more than 6,000 packets of heroin, valued at $ 65,000, and a handgun during an investigation into drug trafficking.

Sabri Amir Burke, 33, of the Meadowbrook Drive 400 neighborhood in the Huntingdon Valley area, was sentenced by a Montgomery County court to 10 to 20 years in prison at a state penitentiary after pleading guilty to a serious charge of possession with intent to deliver controlled substance, a person who does not own a firearm, and possession of a firearm with a changed manufacturer’s number due to incidents in 2019.

The verdict was handed down by Judge Thomas S. Branca, who said a 40-gauge Ruger pistol illegally owned by Burke would be confiscated from the district attorney’s office.

Assistant District Attorney Lindsey Mills sought a significant prison sentence against Burke, who also had ties to Trenton, New Jersey, and Bensalem, Bucks County, before moving to Montgomery County. Authorities say Burke used Abington’s apartment as a so-called “shelter” for drugs.

“It was pure heroin,” said Mills, who brought 6,499 small packages of heroin to the courtroom for demonstration purposes during the sentencing hearing. “He was considered a major drug dealer, and that’s a lot of heroin. This amount of medication is incredibly significant. We do not see such figures every day. Each of these bags is a lethal dose, each one.

“He decided to move to Montgomery County, where he was eventually arrested, and this is where he will be brought to justice,” Mills added.

6,499 packs of heroin weighed about 143 grams.

Prosecutors claimed Burke was also armed with a dangerous weapon during the drug trade. According to court documents, Burke had previously been convicted of banning the possession of firearms.

“Drug traffickers often arm themselves because of potential threats of robbery, and a lot of the time you see drugs and weapons go hand in hand. It’s incredibly dangerous. This, of course, emphasizes that drug trafficking is a dangerous business, ”Mills said.

Mills has successfully sought consistent convictions for drug and weapons charges, citing a dangerous combination of drugs and weapons. Branca’s general sentence included consecutive prison terms for Burke.

The investigation began in 2019 when district detectives learned of Burke’s illegal drug activities.

Investigators received a search warrant at Burke’s apartment in Abington on Nov. 14, and when they arrived at the scene, they saw Burke walking toward his car, under an oath of arrest. A search of Burke’s identity turned up two mobile phones and $ 1,454 in cash, court documents show.

A search of the apartment associated with Burke found 6,499 packs of heroin and a Ruger pistol. Detectives claim that the street price of heroin is $ 65,000.

Attorney Michael Diamondstein represented Burke.

The investigation was conducted by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau’s Drug Enforcement Team, Abington City Police, the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the District Attorney’s Office for Drug Control.