Dec 8, 2016 4 min read

WAYNESBURG – A state prison food services worker allegedly involved romantically with an SCI-Greene inmate serving a life sentence – complete with their having matching tattoos – was held for court on charges she smuggled cellphones and drugs into the jail for him to use and sell.

Investigators allege Judy K. Victor’s relationship was so strong with Jose Villoch they considered each other husband and wife although they weren’t married, and the bond prompted her to bring in contraband that was discovered during a search of his cell in September 2015.

Daniel Meinert, a criminal investigator with the state Department of Corrections, said they found a “duffel bag” full of letters written from Villoch upon searching Victor’s home in November 2015, many of which explained what contraband the prisoners needed and how to smuggle it in, along with other notes about their sexual relationship. Meinert said they also discovered text messages between Victor, 51, of Franklin Township, and Villoch, 37, with a phone found in her home.

“There obviously is an ongoing relationship between the two people,” Meinert testified during Victor’s nearly two-hour preliminary hearing Thursday afternoon.

Although she is not legally charged with the inmate relationship – investigators are not sure when or where the two engaged in sexual activity – it led them to discover other parts of the contraband scheme, Meinert said. The two have matching “siempre” tattoos and inked each other’s initials on their bodies.

During the September 2015 search of Villoch’s holding cell, investigators found one mobile telephone that can be worn on a person’s wrist, Meinert said. His bunkmate also told investigators there were 55 prescription pills and a “weapon” belonging to Villoch in a chemical locker. Meinert said Villoch’s bunkmate was also benefiting from the relationship and had his own wrist cell phone before it broke.

“Miss Victor was well aware that these inmates are not permitted to have communications with people outside (of the jail), and not permitted to have contraband,” Meinert said.

Victor’s defense attorney, David Russo, asked how people would smuggle a cell phone into the prison without it being detected by corrections officers working a metal detector at the entrance.

“Occasionally, people hide these (phones) inside their person,” Meinert said.

Russo asked if there were other ways or other people who could have brought in the phones and drugs.

“There’s a number of ways they can get in,” Meinert said.

Russo disputed the evidence Meinert presented, saying the text message screen shots between Victor and Villoch equated to a “mountain of hearsay” evidence, and that other people were possibly involved in the scheme, and not there to testify directly on what occurred.

“Everything we’re here on is hearsay,” Russo said. “Everything we’ve heard today is hearsay.”

He wanted to review every letter and text message during the preliminary hearing, but was overruled by District Judge Glenn Bates.

“I cannot challenge this evidence,” Russo said. “I cannot see it.”

In some of the letters, text messages and phone conversations that Meinert testified to reading or hearing, Victor was working with a private detective to help Villoch in his case. Villoch is serving a life sentence after a jury convicted him of second- and third-degree murder, robbery and aggravated assault for an incident that occurred in Berks County in November 1999, court records indicate.

“This is a significant case,” Greene County Assistant District Attorney Patrick Fitch said. “There’s a lot to this.”

Bates agreed, ordering Victor to stand trial on multiple charges of conspiracy, criminal use of a telecommunications facility and contraband. She remains free on $20,000 unsecured bond.