Gun charge lands Pennsburg man in prison

NORRISTOWN — A Pennsburg man was sent to prison for illegally possessing three firearms, which were discovered by state police after he crashed a vehicle in Salford Township.

Jason R. Reilly, 45, of the 300 block of Seminary Street, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 4 to 8 years in a state correctional facility after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of person not to possess firearms in connection with a February 2023 incident along Ridge Road in Salford Township.

Judge Wendy G. Rothstein imposed the sentence as part of a plea agreement. Reilly will receive credit for the time he spent in jail while awaiting court action since his Feb. 9, 2023, arrest.

The investigation began about 12:01 a.m. Feb. 9 when state police at Skippack were dispatched to the 300 block of Ridge Road in Salford Township for a report of a vehicle crashing into a tree. Arriving offers found a Chevrolet pickup truck with heavy front end damage resting against a tree and Reilly in the driver’s seat, according to the criminal complaint filed by state police Trooper Dalson Heinrich.

“There was an overwhelming odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from the vehicle and the sole occupant,” Heinrich alleged, adding authorities determined the vehicle had been reported stolen in Horsham Township.

Reilly, who suffered unspecified injuries, was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Reilly allegedly admitted to emergency responders that he had been drinking alcoholic beverages.

Authorities also found Reilly in possession of a small bottle that contained suspected cocaine, according to court documents.

During the investigation, police found a .22-caliber Marlin model number 65 semiautomatic rifle loaded with 12 long rifle rounds, a .22-caliber Marlin model number 25 loaded with eight long rifle rounds and an unloaded Victor ejector 12-gauge shotgun in plain view on the passenger side front seat, according to court papers.

“The three firearms were removed from the vehicle due to the fact that the pickup had to be towed and the hazard they posed,” Heinrich alleged.

A criminal history check revealed Reilly had a previous conviction that prohibited him from possessing firearms.

The investigation determined that the three firearms had been reported stolen from a business located in Fountainville, New Britain Township in Bucks County.

Reilly also pleaded guilty to a charge of receiving stolen property in connection with the incidents. Reilly was ordered to pay a total of $32,039 in restitution in connection with the incidents.

Other charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances, driving under suspension and careless driving were dismissed against Reilly as part of the plea agreement.