Interstate drug ring busted in Hawley

By PAT CAMUSO

HAWLEY — What police are describing as a “major drug ring” was put out of business in Hawley late last week.

The Pennsylvania State Police in Honesdale arrested seven Wayne County people on Friday, April 26. Wayne County District Attorney Mark Zimmer said the arrests followed an “intensive investigation into the delivery and sale of crack cocaine and marijuana.” Five of the seven suspects are women.

According to Zimmer, the investigation uncovered an organized ring dealing in large quantities of the controlled substances. Zimmer said the drugs were transported to the Hawley from metropolitan areas in New York and Connecticut. According to Honesdale State Trooper Chuck Sands, the drugs were then sold and distributed throughout Wayne County. He explained that state police undercover agents, who discovered enough evidence to facilitate the arrests, did so by infiltrating the ring.

Arrested were Larry Faison, 50, and Angela Johnson, 37, of Beach Lake; and Linda Faison, 44, Charlene Jeffrey, 46, Lina Watson, 54, Charles Strait Jr. and Kathryn Merring, 42, all of Hawley.

A large amount of cash, drug paraphernalia and the prescription drug Vicodin were also confiscated in the arrest.

The seven suspects were arraigned before district magistrate Bonnie Lewis.