Golf Course Becomes Center of $1.4 Million Cocaine Ring
By: Eric Deabill
Updated: February 22, 2013
Waymart, Wayne County - Police and prosecutors say a Wayne County golf course is at the center of a million dollar cocaine ring.
Charges were filed Friday against 20 people. Some of the suspects included the golf course owner, a teacher and even a businessman.
The investigation has been going on for more than two years by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office. The investigation is being called "Operation Penalty Stroke."
Prosecutors say Catherine Gabriel is one of the primary suspects.
She is accused of bringing cocaine from the Bronx to the Red Maples Golf Course near Waymart.
The owner of the golf course, 76-year-old Angelo Pozza, was also charged as a primary suspect.
"We estimate approximately $1.4 million worth of cocaine that she brought in over a two year period and of that, we estimate that he was responsible for putting approximately $300,000 of that on the streets," John Soprano with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office said.
One of those busted in connection with the drug ring was Jack Waibel. He is a physical education teacher at Lehman Intermediate School in Pike County.
He is charge with criminal conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to deliver as well as drug possession.
"My guys don't have a record, they have families, they've moved on, they have good jobs and they're good people and they just got-up in a bad situation with this ring and basically it's a watered-down investigation," defense attorney Bernie Brown said.
People who know the golf course were shocked to hear it was allegedly the base of the drug trafficking ring.
"I've played golf there a bunch of summers and I've never seen, I deliver mail there all the time and I never see any cars coming in and out of there," Robert Solimini of Waymart said.
Another noteable person arrested was Brian Petrosky, who runs a pierogi business in Simpson in Lackawanna County.
Investigators say they hope all of the arrests send a strong message.
"It was a perfect front," Tim Doherty with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office said. "It was innocent looking but it had the same amount and the same effect, the same damaging effect as it would any other cover."
Detectives say they used wiretaps and even a statewide investigative grand jury to bring the charges.
Some of the suspects were released on bail. Others had their bail set as high as $1 million in Wayne County.
