Six Arrested In W-b Drug Raid/ One Of The Suspects Had Been Denied A Permit To Open A Barber Shop At The Site Raided Thursday.
By KRIS WERNOWSKY [email protected]
Friday, July 08, 2005 Page: 3A
WILKES-BARRE – A raid at a suspected Park Avenue drug house netted
thousands of dollars in drugs in a building police consider a major hub for
drug trafficking in Luzerne County.
The bust also led to the arrest of six men, including William “Cash” Currie
who accused the Wilkes-Barre zoning appeals board of racism in May after he
was denied a permit to open a barber shop at 168 Park Ave., the same house
police raided Thursday.
The arrests are the culmination of an investigation that began late last
year.
During the search of the house police found 500 packets of heroin worth
more than $12,000, 60 packets of marijuana, crack cocaine and several loaded
weapons including four pistols and five shotguns. Two of the guns were
reported stolen, one from Bloomsburg and the other from Florida.
“What I saw is something on the one hand is very disturbing,” said Lt.
Frank Hacken of the state police in Wyoming.
The bust is a major coup for both state police and the Wilkes-Barre police
department who assisted in the investigation.
“Look at what’s in front of you,” said Luzerne County District Attorney
David Lupas. “It’s a lot of potential for harm in the front of you, the
potential for death.”
The events of Thursday pleased many in the neighborhood who complained that
Park Avenue is increasingly becoming a bad place to live and do business.
Angelo Ricci, owner of Ricci’s Pizza just across the street from the busted
house, said he’s glad to see police stepping up their presence in the
neighborhood. His businesses has been located in the same place for more than
“I’m really happy that they took care of business today,” he said. “This
used to really be a Park Avenue, all the doctors and lawyers used to live up
here. It’s been giving me a black mark up here. People are afraid to come
around when they see that going on.”
In May, Currie, who lived at 148 Park Ave., complained that the city’s
zoning hearing board denied him a zoning variance for the 168 Park Ave.
address, — where he wanted to open a barber shop, on racial grounds.
One member of the zoning board said Thursday that he had no knowledge that
state police were investigating the address.
“That was serendipity,” said zoning board member William Breslin. “We had
absolutely no idea what he would be doing. It’s unfortunate, but I’m glad.”
The men who were arrested and later arraigned before District Judge Fred
Pierantoni:
* Currie was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession
with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy. Bail
was set at $125,000.
* Franklin D. Young, age not known, of Jamaica, N.Y. was charged with two
counts of possession of a controlled substance, three counts of possession
with the intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession with the intent
to drug paraphernalia, receiving stolen property, firearms not to be carried
without a license and prohibited offensive weapon. Bail was set at $150,000.
* Jasmine C. Edwards, 26, of Far Rockaway, N.Y., was charged with
possession of a controlled substance, possession with the intent to deliver a
controlled substance, deliver of a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy.
He was also on probation for a previous drug charge in New York. Bail was set
at $150,000.
* Jamar “Yellow” Hill, 22, of Mayflower Crossing in Wilkes-Barre, was
charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession with the intent
to deliver a controlled substance, two counts of possession with the intent to
deliver a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy.
* Brandon Williams, 23, of Jamaica, N.Y., was charged with two counts of
possession of a controlled substance, three counts of possession with the
intent to deliver a controlled substance, receiving stolen property and
firearms not to be carried without a license. Bail was set at $150,000.
* James Talbert, 28, who has been living in Wilkes-Barre, was charged with
possession of a controlled substance, two counts of possession with the intent
to deliver a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy. He was also on
probation for a previous drug violation. Bail was set at $125,000.
All were taken to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility in lieu of bail.
