CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. – Police in Chester County get a major break with the arrests of seven suspects who may be members of the so called, “Felony Lane Gang”. The gang has been operating for years, raking in millions of dollars with criminal activity that crosses multiple state-lines. They travel in rented vehicles and target gyms, parks, daycare centers and sporting events that are frequented by women increasing the chances of finding purses left in vehicles They specifically look for identification such as driver licenses, checks and debit cards. They normally cash stolen checks at the farthest lane from the bank building hence earning the nickname as the Felony Lane Gang. The gang is suspected of numerous thefts in South Central Pennsylvania.
At about 1:30 pm on Tuesday, March 1, Tredyffrin Police responded to the Wendy’s in the 100 block of W. Swedesford Road, near the Valley Fair mall, for a report of suspicious activity. A firefighter called police after seeing a person changing registration plates on two motor vehicles. Arriving police units attempted to contact multiple people, some in a gray Dodge Journey SUV and others in a black Chevrolet Suburban SUV.
The driver and occupants of the Suburban disregarded the orders of the police and drove past two officers on foot, ordering them to stop. The fleeing Suburban struck an occupied, marked Tredyffrin Police cruiser with emergency lights activated that was in the parking lot and then exited on to East Swedesford Road. The same black Suburban struck the same marked police cruiser a second time on Swedesford Road at West Valley Rd. The pursuit continued northbound of Route 202 then eastbound on Route 76. Heavy traffic forced all cars to stop just prior to the Belmont Ave exit where the black Suburban stopped as it struck an assisting marked Pennsylvania State Police cruiser.
Two occupants of the Suburban fled and were taken into custody after a foot pursuit, one of which ran across all lanes of Route 76, the Schuylkill Expressway, and over the shoulder into the Schuylkill River. Two other occupants of the same Suburban were taken into custody where it stopped. In the area where the Suburban was stopped, dozens of identity documents to include credit cards and driver’s licenses were seen being thrown over the chain link fence but recovered by police.
Law enforcement took into custody the driver of the Suburban, identified as Sherry Howard, 48, of the 3900 block of Pascale Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland. The remaining three (3) subjects of the Suburban were identified as Keenon Seymour,18, of the 3600 block of NW. 3rd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Jeremy Espenshade, 28 of the 1300 block of Pontiac Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland. The last subject taken into custody was identified as Jerome Glinton, aka. “Jerry Long”, of the 700 block of NW. 19th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Long was transported by ambulance to Bryn Mawr Hospital for unspecified injuries resulting from his flight and is now in police custody.
At the original scene of the Wendy’s Restaurant, the Dodge Journey SUV was blocked from leaving by police units and unable to escape. The persons taken into custody at that time were Heather Miller, 29 of the 1300 block of Pontiac Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, Jeremy Evans, 40 of the 9500 block of Mellow Court, Baltimore, Maryland and Ashley Hamm, 22 of the 200 block of NW 35th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Found in the area of the Dodge Journey were dozens of Identity Documents not belonging to the occupants of either vehicle.
Subsequent investigation roadside recovered not less than 20 documents, including driver’s licenses, identification cards and stolen checks belonging to regional identity theft victims. Several victims that were contacted have confirmed that their belongings were stolen from child care centers and other locations that connect the underlying thefts with the “Felony Lane Gang”. Subsequent usages of similar victim’s identity information is then used to create and cash checks with the banking information belonging to the victims.
Charges against the suspects include Aggravated Assault of a Police Officer, Fleeing or Eluding Police, Receiving Stolen Property, ID Theft, Access Device Theft and Criminal Conspiracy. The suspects being held in the county prison after failing to post $300,000 each.
The suspects also had numerous regional warrants and over one hundred previous arrests (nationally) were logged by the individuals in this group.