COUNSELOR BUSTED FOR MARIJUANA

For seven years, James Washington has worked with drug users, trying to
help them avoid HIV infections and AIDS.

Now, Washington is accused of having some $135,000 worth of marijuana
plants in two sophisticated growing rooms in his Greenfield home, along
with two weapons and drug paraphernalia, assistant Allegheny County
Superintendent Kenneth Fulton said.

Since 1993, Washington has been working under a private contract as an
outreach worker for the Allegheny County Health Department, said spokesman
Guillermo Cole.

"His job was to educate drug users about the danger of AIDS and the risk of
HIV infection from shooting drugs, sharing needles and unsafe sex," Cole said.

Washington, 27, who was not a health department employee, was paid $10 an
hour, received no paid benefits and worked less than 40 hours a week, Cole
said.

"This fellow has been effective for us. It is regrettable he has been
arrested," Cole said. "In light of this, we have terminated his contract."

Fulton said Washington was arrested at the end of a two-week investigation
when police obtained a search warrant this week for his home on Minnesota
Street.

"They found 88 marijuana plants in two sophisticated growing rooms," Fulton
said.

Had the plants been allowed to grow to maturity, Fulton said, they would
have an estimated street value of $135,000.

Detectives also recovered 2 1/2 pounds of marijuana with a street value of
$4,000, an assault rifle, a .357-caliber handgun, a small amount of
cocaine, various drug paraphernalia and $17,000 in cash, Fulton said.

"Some of these outreach workers are former drug users themselves who can be
very effective in reaching out with counseling, AIDS prevention and
testing," Cole said.

"They know firsthand about drug use and the drug trade. They know who is
using drugs and where to find them. It's important for us to use this kind
of outreach," Cole said.

Cole said the health department uses former prostitutes as outreach workers
for the same reason.

"They can be very effective as counselors and educators and have reached
thousands of high-risk people as a result," Cole said.

"Over the years, this is only the second time one of our outreach workers
has been arrested for drug use or possession," Cole said. "We make it clear
to them that we will not tolerate drug use or drug dealing.

"We do recognize there is some risk that these people may return to their
old ways, but we strongly believe the benefits to public health in terms of
education and prevention outweigh the risks," Cole said.

He added, "We are disappointed and disheartened by the arrest, but we don't
want to throw the baby out with the bath water."