Man charged with inducing Saugus teen to sell marijuana pleads innocent

SALEM – A Malden man who is facing a mandatory five-year prison term for allegedly recruiting a 14-year-old Saugus teenager to sell marijuana remains free on his own personal promise to return to court after pleading innocent.Mario Joseph, 23, of 224 Kennedy Drive, #801, Malden, appeared Monday morning in Salem Superior Court, pleading innocent to a charge of inducing a minor to distribute narcotics.Judge John T. Lu agreed to release Joseph on personal recognizance pending his trial at the joint recommendation of the prosecutor and defense.Authorities say on Nov. 8 while Joseph was working as a security guard at a fitness club on Broadway in Saugus he befriended a 14-year-old neighborhood boy and recruited him to sell marijuana. The mother of the teenager found out and went to police, who then conducted an investigation and arrested Joseph.The charge for inducing a minor to sell narcotics carries a minimum mandatory punishment of five years in state prison and up to 15 years.Joseph is due back in court for a pre-trial hearing in his case on April 26.Assistant District Attorney Jean M. Curran is prosecuting the case and Attorney James N. Greenburg is the defense lawyer.