United States Drug Enforcement Administration

PROVIDENCE, RI. - A federal grand jury today returned an indictment against two men arrested in January in connection with the seizure of 65 kilos of cocaine and more than 1.2 million dollars in cash in North Kingstown.

Steven W. Derr, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced the federal indictment of Armando Saucedo, 30, and Andrew Rios, 39, both of California, on charges of conspiracy to possess five or more kilos of cocaine with the intent to distribute, possession of five or more kilos of cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes.

A third defendant in this matter, Adilson A. Reyes, 29, of Utah, was charged by way of an information on April 13, 2011, with conspiracy to possess five or more kilos of cocaine with the intent to distribute.

In September 2010, federal, state and local law enforcement agents, working in conjunction with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, developed information about the trafficking of cocaine from outside Rhode Island into the state. The investigation led investigators to monitor activity at hotels in West Greenwich and Pawtucket, several vehicles and a storage facility in North Kingstown.

In January, federal, state and local law enforcement agents executed search warrants and seized 65.07 kilos of cocaine, $1,245,070 in cash and a firearm from two vehicles and a storage facility in North Kingstown.

The cases against all three defendants are being prosecuted jointly in federal court by federal prosecutor Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Hebert and state prosecutor Assistant Attorney General Paul F. Daly, Jr.

The matter was investigated by the DEA, Rhode Island State Police, and officers from the Warwick, Woonsocket, and East Providence Police Departments.