The Pittsburgh Press
September 18, 1940
Erie, PA
Homestead-Pittsburgh Offenders Sentenced in Erie
A gang of Pittsburgh-Homestead marihuana cigarette peddlers was broken up today, with six of the eight members on their way to prison, another under deffered sentence and an eighth serving a suspended sentence.
Six of the seven Negroes who pleaded guilty to making the “reefers” in Homestead and peddling them in Pittsburgh were sentenced to Federal prison. The eighth, a Mexican, was sentenced to prison and ordered to be deported to Mexico when the prison term expires. They were:
[adinserter name=”Random Post Ad”].Joe Rodriguez, the Mexican, the only one to stand trial, sentenced to three years in prison;
Frank Lewis, charged with Rodriguez of supplying the drug, three years;
George D. Foy and Joseph Reed, co-conspirators with Lewis, a year and a day;
Elmer Washington and Harrison Curry, co-conspirators with Rodriguez, a year and a day,
and William Lewis, a marihuana addict and peddler, a year and a day.
Sentence was suspended on Curry and he was placed on three years’ probation for testimony against Rodriguez. George Robinson will be sentenced later in Pittsburgh.
