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. - --- Checked-by: Rolf Ernst