Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jan 2001
Source: Tribune, The (PA)
Copyright: 2001 The ScrantonTimes/Shamrock Communications
Contact:  149 Penn Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503
Website: http://www.nepanews.com/
Author: John Decker, Tribune Staff Writer

ALLEGED HEROIN SELLER TO REVEAL 'REAL DEAL'

Arrested last week by the state attorney general's office on drug 
trafficking charges, West Scranton Crime Watch President Freda Joseph said 
she is innocent and that her intentions will eventually be revealed. Ms. 
Joseph, 61, dressed in a tan uniform, spoke to a reporter through a glass 
divider Tuesday night at the Lackawanna County Prison, where she has been 
held for lack of $75,000 bail since her arrest last week.

She offered an apology to Mayor Jim Connors, several members of the police 
force, including Chief Jim Klee, and her crime watch group.

"Those people were all good to me," she said. "I didn't mean to hurt anybody."

The apology, however, was not an admission of guilt.

Ms. Joseph, who broke down in tears at one point in the conversation, said 
investigators for the attorney general's office don't have their facts 
straight.

State Attorney General Mike Fisher contends Ms. Joseph was tipping police 
to local drug dealers in an attempt to "weed out the competition."

Undercover narcotics agents arrested Ms. Joseph on Thursday on charges of 
possessing and selling heroin, using a telephone in connection with drug 
sales and criminal conspiracy.

Four of the nine drug charges she faces involve delivering heroin from her 
former home at 639 N. Main Ave. between October and November.

Mr. Fisher said Ms. Joseph's illegal drug activity dates back about a year.

Ms. Joseph said all she could reveal publicly at this time was that her 
ultimate goal would have been of great benefit to the community. Fearing 
for her family's safety, though, Ms. Joseph requested details of her plan 
not be made public.

She mentioned that only one person knew what she was trying to accomplish. 
Contacted following the prison interview, that individual said Ms. Joseph 
revealed her plan several months ago.

Ms. Joseph knows many people have lost faith in her, and would understand 
if they didn't believe her.

"They're all embarrassed," she said. "Can you blame them?"

She said she will just have to live with the shame until she can prove her 
innocence in court. "When they find out the real deal, they'll feel 
differently."
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