Pubdate: Fri, 07 Jan 2005 Source: Tribune Review (Pittsburgh, PA) Copyright: 2005 Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Contact: http://triblive.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/460 Author: David Hunt, Tribune Review MAN MUST BECOME WALKING BILLBOARD AGAINST ILLEGAL DRUGS Juan Curtis McCargo is a convicted drug offender whom a Fayette County judge would like to spend more time with school students. Even if youngsters in the Uniontown Area School District don't know his name, chances are they won't forget the 29-year-old when they see him. Under a court order handed down this week, McCargo, of 39 Whiteman Ave., Uniontown, will appear regularly over the next eight weeks wearing a sign telling students about the negative consequences of drugs. Judge John F. Wagner ruled on the issue after the county probation office alleged McCargo had violated the terms of a 2002 sentence by missing meetings, skipping fine payments, avoiding court-ordered community service and testing positive for marijuana use. He was sentenced on Dec. 18, 2002, to three years of probation after pleading guilty to a Feb. 17, 2002, incident in which officers found a digital scale and a bag of white powder in his possession him during a traffic stop in North Union Township. Court records indicate McCargo violated his probation once before, but Wagner ruled on June 10, 2003, that he would remain in the program. Probation officials filed another petition to remove McCargo in December. Wagner again ruled that McCargo could stay, but attached a new condition. With the help of the county's probation department and drug and alcohol commission, McCargo will become a walking billboard against illegal drugs. The order states that McCargo will appear at a Uniontown school location once a week for the next eight weeks wearing some sort of sign with an anti-drug message. The order indicates permission from the school district is being sought. Uniontown Superintendent Charles Machesky did not immediately return a call for comment yesterday. When asked about his decision by reporters, Wagner said he felt it would be inappropriate to elaborate. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake