Woman sentenced in 'reprehensible and disgusting' sex, drug cases

Ed Lewis, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·2 min read
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Mar. 2—WILKES-BARRE — A Hazle Township woman charged by state police at Hazleton with sexually abusing a teenage boy for years — and wanting him to perform sex acts for cash to support a drug addiction — was sentenced in Luzerne County Court on Thursday.

The criminal acts committed by Joleen Marie Gambardella, 41, were called "reprehensible and disgusting" by President Judge Michael T. Vough, who sentenced her to 10 years, six months to 21 years in state prison on a list of charges, including being involved in a drug smuggling ring inside the county correctional facility.

Gambardella, who pleaded guilty to the charges, apologized in court. Her remorse did not impact Vough.

"Your conduct can only be described as reprehensible and disgusting," the judge said.

Gambardella was arrested in January 2016 after a then 15-year-old boy known to her claimed he was sexually abused for years while living with her in Hazle Township and Ohio.

The youth claimed Gambardella engaged in sexual activities with him, often multiple times each day, as well as taking prescription drugs and using heroin together, according to court records.

The boy claimed Gambardella posted a picture of his genitals on the internet site Craigslist, telling him she wanted him to perform sex acts for money so they could buy heroin. At one point, an older man responded to the advertisement and arrived at the house only to be turned away when the boy refused to go along with Gambardella's plan, court records say.

While jailed at the county correctional facility, Gambardella was one of four female inmates arrested in March 2020, for concealing methamphetamine within the prison after it was smuggled into the facility in the body cavity of one of the inmates two months earlier.

When Gambardella was given the opportunity to participate in drug treatment services, she fled out of a transport vehicle while being taken back to the county correctional facility on March 4, 2021, and fled to Las Vegas, Nevada, where she was captured.

Gambardella was sentenced on six separate cases listing charges of endangering the welfare of children, unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors, promoting prostitution, possession of a controlled substance while an inmate, conspiracy to commit receiving stolen property, retail theft and escape.