Wvc Sports Schedule Postponed

Area Kids Put Words In Their Pets' Mouths

By DAVID WEISS dweiss@leader.net
 Friday, January 05, 2001 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





SCRANTON - The president of the West Scranton Crime Watch would often deal
heroin while an informant delivered the group's paperwork to her home, police
said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 On one occasion, Crime Watch President Freda Joseph, 61, bought 30 bags of
heroin in Philadelphia. She put the heroin in a condom and placed it in her
genital area to smuggle it back to Scranton, according to police. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Police said she would often contact people to tell them she had heroin for
sale. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 State Attorney General Mike Fisher announced Joseph's arrest Thursday. She
was charged with four counts of delivery of heroin and related drug charges.
Joseph was arraigned before District Justice Terrence Gallagher of Scranton
and taken to the Lackawanna County prison for lack of $75,000 cash bail. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``This is a sad case, when someone who has assumed a position of leadership
and trust in the community and abuses that trust by allegedly engaging in the
type of illegal activity in which they are pledged to fight,'' Fisher said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Joseph's arrest stemmed from a 13-month investigation by state and county
authorities. Five people were arrested in June after authorities presented
their case to a statewide grand jury, which recommended the charges be filed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 According to police: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In December 1999, authorities began investigating a heroin ring in
Lackawanna County. Agents made heroin purchases from Greg Tejada and Michael
Roberts. Tejada was one of the five people arrested in June. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Roberts began working as an informant for police. He said that on Oct. 25,
he purchased five bags of heroin from Joseph for $100 at her residence on
North Main Avenue in Scranton. Joseph told Roberts he could come back for more
heroin. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Five days later, Roberts called Joseph to arrange another deal. Roberts
bought four bags for $80. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 On both occasions, Roberts said, Joseph took the heroin from her bra.
Roberts also said he knew of at least four other heroin addicts who bought
cocaine from Joseph. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 At the time of the deals, Joseph served as the president of the West
Scranton Crime Watch, and Roberts would sometimes help Joseph with paperwork.
Often he would drop off or pick up Crime Watch paperwork at Joseph's house and
witness her dealing heroin to other customers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 On Nov. 15, Joseph asked Roberts to go to Philadelphia with her to buy more
heroin. Those two and an unidentified male went to Philadelphia where Joseph
bought three bundles - about 30 bags - of it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 On the way back, Joseph had Roberts buy a condom and she placed the heroin
in a condom and inserted it into her genital area. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Crime Watch Boss Faces Drug Rap President Of West Scranton Group Dealt Heroin From Her Home, Authorities Say.