Pushers Pay It Back

Pushers Pay It Back

There's no way to calculate the cost of the heroin business to the city of Detroit. Even if one could total the losses through ripoffs and the cost of police work, prisons, and medical care, what about a figure to represent the loss in human energies and snuffed-out lives?

Well, Recorder's Court Judge George W. Crockett, Jr. has figured out one way to get at least some of it back. The Judge ordered three convicted pushers to pay back the $11,650 police used to score six ounces of junk from them.

"I want every penny of that repaid, and repaid before the sentencing date," intoned Crockett, offering to consider releasing the trio on bond pending sentencing if they cooperated.

Sure enough, Arnold "Pretty Rick" Wright, Carol Ann McCuin, and Salvadore Perez dipped into their savings and managed to come up with enough to cover the check. They are out on bond – Wright for $5000, the others on personal bond – until September 18, when they could get up to 20 years each. Wright, whom the police consider a big fish, has another dope charge coming up the day before that.

"It's the people's money," said Police Chief Philip Tannian in accepting the refund. "They ought to give it back." The check will be deposited in the P.D.'s Secret Service Fund, which it uses for dope buys and "other investigative purposes."