ENGLEWOOD, N.J., May 14 (UPI) — Two residents of a New Jersey senior citizen housing facility are accused of running drugs and prostitutes from their apartments.
James Parham, 75, and his neighbor, Cheryl Chaney, 66, were charged after police in Englewood, N.J., conducted a series of undercover stings following a sting of complaints for the pair’s elderly neighbors who said their apartment building had been overrun with drug addicts, drunks and prostitutes at all hours of the day and night, The Record of Hackensack, N.J., said Monday.
“Essentially, they were prisoners in their own building,” Police Chief Arthur O’Keefe said of the residents. “I wasn’t going to allow that to continue.”
In late April, Englewood police arrested Chaney and Parham on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a drug nuisance. Chaney was also charged with of possession of crack cocaine.
Police said Parham allegedly admitted to providing some of the younger residents in the building with the services of prostitutes who were using the money to fund their drug habits.
O’Keefe said since the arrests and a departmental focus on patrolling the senior housing authority building and others like it, residents have reported a much improved atmosphere.
“Things are getting better,” said James Harrison. “Druggies and drunks, that’s what used to be here, all day long, day and night.”
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