Trial begins against former SCI-Greene worker charged in contraband case
WAYNESBURG – The lawyer for an SCI-Greene food services employee accused of smuggling drugs and cellphones into the state prison to help an inmate, whom she was involved with romantically, took exception with what he called “blanket immunity” against another prisoner and his family who plan to testify against her at trial this week.
David Russo, defense attorney for Judy Victor, chastised prosecutors for their immunity offers in his opening statement Tuesday and encouraged the Greene County jury to evaluate the credibility of the witnesses they would hear from.
“They can lie on the stand today, and they can’t be touched for it,” Russo said during his opening statements. “The whole case is about credibility and motive.”
Victor, 53, of Franklin Township, faces multiple charges of conspiracy, criminal use of a telecommunications facility and contraband. Victor, who was allegedly romantically involved with an SCI-Greene inmate serving a life sentence, is accused of smuggling cellphones and drugs into the prison for him to use and sell.
Greene County Assistant District Attorney Patrick Fitch acknowledged some of the witnesses were testifying on the promise of prosecutorial immunity, meaning they would not face charges for any alleged wrongdoing they admitted to on the stand.
“Some of those witnesses have been offered immunity by the commonwealth,” he said, pointing to Victor, “because I want this employee.”
Russo highlighted Victor’s lack of a prior criminal record and the lead witness in the prosecution’s case is an inmate facing a life sentence.
“The scary thing is they’ve all gotten immunity,” he said. “You will see the accusations that will come out of these individuals.”
Victor is not facing charges involving the alleged sexual relationship with Jose Villoch because investigators could not pin down when or where the two engaged in sexual activity. However, a search of his cell in September 2015 turned up a cellphone and a search of Victor’s home led investigators to evidence of a contraband scheme.
Victor’s relationship was reportedly so strong with Villoch they considered each other husband and wife and have matching tattoos.
On Tuesday, Villoch’s former cellmate at SCI-Greene told jurors he benefited from Victor and Villoch’s contraband scheme. He detailed how he received two wristwatch-style cellphones from the pair. The inmate said his mother bought the first phone that was smuggled into the jail. After he broke it, his wife bought a second, which was found in a search of the cell.
The inmate, who has since been transferred from the facility outside Waynesburg, also said there were pills he hid in a chemical closet. He said he was part of the plan to bring the items into the prison and told investigators the location of the pills after the phone was located because he wanted “to do the right thing.”
That inmate’s wife, Valerie Young, testified she bought the cellphone and also obtained Vicodin for Villoch and her husband.
“I was asked to give a cellphone to the defendant,” she said.
Young said she also opened a P.O. Box in Waynesburg for Victor, though she was under the impression it was for legal documents.
“I have no idea (what was delivered) because I didn’t have a key,” she said. “I trusted it was just for legal documentation.”
Young vehemently denied bringing anything into SCI-Greene herself.
“I did not bring anything in prison, why are you making it sound like I am?” she said in response to Russo’s questioning.
Russo also brought forth some contradictions between Young’s testimony and her initial statements to investigators.
“Are you seriously judging me?” she asked Russo as he asked about the nature of her conversations with her husband. “I did not lie to police. I won’t lie to police.”
The jury is composed of 12 women and two male alternates. The trial is expected to continue through Thursday.