Members of the Crips street gang ran a drug operation out of a hookah lounge in North Scranton, law enforcement announced Tuesday morning.
An 11-month investigation led to the arrests of nine people and the seizure of cocaine, methamphetamine and thousands of pressed pills suspected of containing fentanyl.
Those arrested are:
- Keith Fox, 47, of Scranton
- Joanne Gaetano, 60, of Scranton
- Lakee Harris, 45, of Scranton
- Lawrence Myers, 37, of Scranton
- Dwight Smith, 50, of Dickson City
- Damion Williams, 44, of Carbondale
- Jermaine Wilson, 43, of Mercer
- Lee Wood, 47, of Scranton
- Nicole Young, 34, of Scranton
Charges include drug trafficking, position of illegal weapons and corrupt organization. The arrests began last month, and some of the accused have posted bail, according to law enforcement.
“These charges carry very serious offenses and penalties, and we intend to seek the maximum penalties allowed under the law,” Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell said.
The arrests come after a rise in gang activity in Scranton and beyond the last several years.
“Our concerted efforts from all law enforcement has been focused on eliminating gang activity, and it takes time,” Powell said. “It takes a lot of effort. It takes a lot of work, but today is an example and a significant blow to the Crips and their illegal activity resulting in these arrests.”
The illegal activity centered around Blue Face Global Hookah Lounge, rear 1826 N. Main Ave., the site of the former Castle club, which also had been a hub of illegal activity in the past.
On Tuesday, Powell’s office petitioned the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas to declare the property a public nuisance and for it to be shut down permanently.
Some of the criminal activity at the hookah lounge resulted in shootings at the Diamond Club in Old Forge and Waffle House in Scranton, according to the petition.
“Unfortunately, the criminal elements that were hosted here and the activities that were brought in, they use our own children here in this area to perpetuate their crimes,” Scranton Police Chief Thomas Carroll said. “And it's not just the crimes that they're committing, you have to think of the secondary effects of the families that get shattered by those people who become addicted to drugs, or the victims of the violence, the family members that have to deal with fear, fear for their children, and fear from their children.”
