PHILADELPHIA, PA — A Philadelphia man on state parole for attempted murder was sentenced Friday to 540 months in federal prison after investigators uncovered a stash of drugs and weapons he hid inside a suburban apartment and storage unit in King of Prussia.
U.S. Attorney David Metcalf announced that 34-year-old Norman Copper received the 45-year sentence, followed by five years of supervised release, after a federal jury convicted him in March of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of firearms by a felon. Copper was charged by superseding indictment in June 2024.
Investigators launched the case in December 2023 after the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Parole Field Services alerted the Upper Merion Township Police Department to suspicious activity. Copper, who wore a GPS monitor as a condition of parole, had been intercepted on prison calls and video visits making statements that suggested involvement in drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession.
Trial evidence showed that Copper spent repeated early-morning hours at an unapproved location — an apartment belonging to his then-girlfriend. Detectives conducting physical and video surveillance observed him entering and exiting the unit frequently and often walking toward a storage unit connected to the residence.
Search warrants served on the apartment and storage unit in January 2024 uncovered more than a pound and a half of methamphetamine, three semiautomatic handguns — including one equipped with a silencer — and an AK-style semiautomatic rifle. Because of a prior felony conviction, Copper was prohibited from possessing any of the weapons.
U.S. Attorney Metcalf said Copper “again and again… flouted the law and chosen to engage in criminal activity that endangered the community,” adding that he was “heavily armed to protect his profits, product, and drug dealer persona.”
Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division, said Copper “will no longer threaten his neighborhood,” citing the coordinated efforts of federal, county, and local investigators.
The case was investigated by the Upper Merion Township Police Department, the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsey Mills and Justin Ashenfelter.
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