Pubdate: Oct 17, 1998
Source: Houston Chronicle (TX)
Contact:  http://www.chron.com/
Copyright: 1998 Houston Chronicle
Author: Eric Hanson

BENEFICIARY OF GOOD WILL HELD ON DRUG CHARGES

A man who moved his homeless family into a four-bedroom home provided by a
Fort Bend County businessman was arrested on drug and assault charges from
New Hampshire.

Joseph Denapoli, 33, was taken into custody by Fort Bend County Sheriff's
Department deputies about 5:30 p.m. Thursday at his Stafford residence,
sheriff's spokesman Jim Bob Conner said.

Denalpoli, his wife, Victoria, and their five children moved into the
two-story house in the 300 block of Dukes Bend last month after a story
about their life in a homeless shelter caught the attention of Stafford
businessman Patrick Henry.

Henry, president of Patrick Henry Creative Promotions Inc., lived in the
house for 16 years but decided to rent it at a low rate to the Denapolis
after reading about the family's plight in the Houston Chronicle on Aug. 23.

Denapoli, however, was wanted for allegedly selling crack cocaine to a
Manchester, N.H., police officer and for allegedly assaulting his wife,
according to Detective Bill Barry of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's
Department in that state.

The drug charge stems from a Feb. 10, 1996 incident, and the assault
occurred May 30, 1994, Barry said.

After Henry provided the house and furnishings to Denapoli, a Sept. 28 news
article caught the attention of family members in New Hampshire and they
alerted authorities, Barry said.

"They (relatives) are very concerned about the children and were worried
about their conditions and if they were going to school," Barry said.

Barry said that if Denapoli waives his extradition rights, police in New
Hampshire will travel here to take him back to that state. If not, then New
Hampshire officials will begin extradition proceedings.

Meanwhile, Karen Pinkerton, public relations director for Henry's business,
said Henry was unavailable for comment because he was in Canada. She said he
knew about the arrest.

"He is just absolutely devastated by all the events that have occurred,"
Pinkerton said.

Pinkerton said Denapoli's wife and children will remain in the house for the
time being.

"He (Henry) is not going to abandon that family," she said.

Denapoli is being held in the Fort Bend County Jail without bail, Conner
said.

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Checked-by: Rolf Ernst