United States Drug Enforcement Administration

(PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Michael Ferguson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’(DEA) New England Field Division and United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha announced that Neftali Reyes, a/k/a Popi, 32, of Providence, was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for trafficking heroin. Additionally, Reyes forfeited $382,227 in cash and a Rolex watch valued at $39,000 seized by the government at the time of Reyes’ arrest in August 2014. An investigation by the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force determined that the proceeds were generated as a result of Reyes’ drug trafficking activities.

At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., also ordered Reyes to serve three years supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Reyes pleaded guilty on November 13, 2014, to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and two counts of distribution of heroin.

According to court documents and information presented to the court, beginning in April 2014, the DEA Drug Task Force conducted an investigation of the activities into a drug trafficking organization which included Neftali Reyes and others. On at least two occasions in July 2014, an East Providence undercover police officer arranged with Reyes to purchase heroin. On each occasion a different “runner” met with the undercover officer at pre-determined locations in Providence and Cranston to complete the transactions.

On August 25, 2014, law enforcement arrested Reyes as he left his residence and was entering a parking garage. As Reyes was being detained, he dropped a shoebox containing $37,000 in cash, a cell phone and an iPad. A court authorized search of Reyes’ residence resulted in the seizure of $339,477 in cash from a safe, additional cash located elsewhere in the residence, and a men’s Rolex Oyster watch valued at $39,000. Reyes admitted to law enforcement and to the court that the cash and the Rolex watch were the result of proceeds from the sale of heroin. Reyes admitted to selling heroin for $130 per gram and that the proceeds represented the sale of approximately 2,940 grams of heroin.