Former Nightlife Personality Busted for Meth

Former nightlife personality Phoenix is arraigned in a meth ring (courtesy of Montgomery County District Attorney's Office)

A decade ago, Shampoo was one of the most popular nightlife spots in the city. There was the house music, day-glo lights and the well-known club kid at the helm of the experience. That was Phoenix, a larger-than-life personality who would gender-bend his way through the city’s late-night club scene with style and, we have to admit it, no shortage of fabulousness.

While nightlife people can come and go over the years, it wasn’t until his mugshot showed up with 31 other suspects arrested in Montgomery and Philadelphia, according to a report in the Inquirer, that we realized what may have really happened to the man on the scene.

Real name Joseph “Phoenix” Croxton, with a residence listed on Tasker Street, is among 32 suspects charged in an alleged crystal meth ring – one that’s being credited with tracking the drug throughout the region.

We’ve seen the damage the drug has done in the gay community over the years. A study from a few years ago shows that crystal meth use had actually spiked in the past five years among gay men.

If you have a problem or would like to find out more about recovery, Philly’s SafeGuards is part of a an LGBT-friendly city-wide Crystal Meth Task Force. Click here for more information.