How Richard Legree went from " Biggest drug pusher in Chester County"to CCRC Area 14 Chair

I re-read my blog post " Short history of the CCRC" and realized I gave it the wrong title.

Sometime in 2006 I told my uncle John, who at the time was registered as a Republican, "You know the Chair of Area 14 of the Chester County Republican Committee is Richard Legree", he said, "That can't be he's a drug dealer." Let's be clear I don't think that Richard Legree was a "drug dealer" but that is the impression that many, many people had of him.

I think the blog post below should have been named "How Richard Legree went from 'Biggest drug pusher in Chester County' to CCRC Area 14 Chair.'

Brief history of the CCRC:

  Quasi organized crime CCRCchair/trash hauler (put the money in the drawer) Teddy Rubino convicted of     extortion and dies just before entering prison

  Period of Reform-Independent Republicans

  Now the CCRC appears to be morphing into an extremist organization, great.

DiGiorgio elected Republican county chairman Saturday  

Published: Sunday, October 09, 2011 

By JIM CALLAHAN 

jcallahan@dailylocal.com

OK, it was not a complete transition away from the Rubino era. After all, Richard Legree became a big wheel in the CCRC and chair of Area14 of the Chester County Republican Party.

For a very brief history see below:

Reading Eagle June 23, 1977 

Mystery Still Prevails-Informant's Death Probed 

Daniel Joseph was a witness in the prosecution of Lawrence Palmer and Gordon Roberts two Reading based agents with the PA Bureau of DrugControl. More importantly Daniel Joseph was a witness in the prosecution of many of the drug suspects arrested in the Drug raid of April 1976.

Richard Legree was one of the people arrested in April of1976.

“Daily Local News  

Pusher called "danger to community',  

Friday, September 10, 1976 

By BRUCE MOWDAY (Of the Local News Staff)  

Richard "Stretch" Legree of Coatesville, named as the number one drug pusher in Chester County by District AttorneyWilliam H. Lamb, was convicted last night of selling 145 bags of heroin to an undercover agent in January.”

Richard Legree had a new trial and was released from prison after serving a year and a few months. Later in life he became the Chairman ofArea 14 of the Chester County Republican Committee. 

SEE:

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2009

Some previous actions of Coatesville Police Chief Matthews and Coatesville City Manager Harry G. Walker:

All of this was back in the "French Connection" days. President Carter ordered a special investigation of the FBI in the Delaware Valley area.