Pennsylvania - Man guilty in probe of meth sales.

OFF THE WIRE
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Jeffrey "Death Row' Hampton was the ninth South Jersey resident to be convicted or enter a guilty plea in connection with Operation Ice Breaker, an 11-month probe into an alleged crystal meth ring. / Courier-Post file
A Westville man has been convicted of multiple offenses after an investigation by Pennsylvania authorities into methamphetamine sales.
But Jeffrey "Death Row" Hampton, described as a member of the Outlaws motorcycle club, was acquitted of the most serious charges against him, his attorney, Mike Farrell, noted Monday.
Hampton, 37, was the ninth South Jersey resident to be convicted or enter a guilty plea in connection with Operation Ice Breaker, an 11-month probe into an alleged crystal meth ring. The probe by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office led to 40 arrests in August 2009.
"My client was a drug buyer who also sold to his friends," Farrell said Monday. "But he wasn't a drug dealer, and he certainly wasn't a racketeer."
Hampton was convicted Friday of 11 counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, as well as 12 drug-related conspiracy charges and 92 counts of unlawful use of a cellphone. A jury in Chester County, Pa., acquitted him of racketeering and money laundering charges.

"We are very pleased with the jury's verdict," said Lauren Bozart, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office. She noted Hampton "faces a potential of 75 years in mandatory minimum sentences on the (possession) charges alone."
Farrell said Hampton, although convicted of 115 offenses, initially faced more than 400 counts of wrongdoing. Investigators contended he helped distribute large amounts of crystal meth and more than $200,000 worth of crack cocaine.
"But what the authorities thought was a mountain turned out to be an ant hill," said the Philadelphia attorney, who asserted Hampton was only a customer of the drug ring. "He bought coke on Valentine's Day for his girlfriend."
Five South Jersey men have admitted guilt or been convicted of being involved in a criminal enterprise and other offenses, Bozart said. They are Stephen Conner of Burlington Township, Jeffrey Taylor of Eastampton, Glen Woloszyn of Hainesport, Frank Santore of Williamstown and Vincent Santore of Buena.

Three local men -- Michael Ivins of Southampton, Jay Kloss of Shamong and Ryan Sangiovanni of Mount Laurel -- have pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess drugs with the intent to distribute and other offenses.

A final local suspect, Marlene Silverman of Shamong, awaits trial.

Reach Jim Walsh at (856) 486-2646 or jwalsh@gannett.com