Man Convicted Of Attempted Cocaine Possession And Distribution
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A federal court jury in Providence today convicted Jose Ignacio Goris, 41, of Providence, of attempting to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Goris was arrested on August 14, 2014, moments after he took custody of what he believed to be a kilogram of cocaine supplied to him at his request by a person he believed to be a drug trafficker. The purported drug trafficker was a United (U. S.) Drug Enforcement (DEA) Task Force agent. The package was made to appear as if it contained a kilo of cocaine.
Goris’ conviction is announced by Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA for New England, and United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha. According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, beginning in early May 2014, Goris and two undercover agents who were posing as large-scale cocaine suppliers engaged in a series of electronically recorded telephone conversations and meetings. Goris repeatedly represented to the agents that he had previously engaged in distributing large quantities of cocaine and that he was anxious to return to “work” trafficking cocaine.
On the afternoon of August 14, 2014, Goris and one of the agents met in a mall parking lot in Warwick, at which time Goris was shown what he believed to be two kilos of cocaine. The look-alike cocaine packages were hidden inside a secret compartment of the undercover agent’s vehicle. After examining the packages, Goris told the agent that he was leaving to get funds to purchase a kilo of the cocaine. Later that day, Goris and the agent met inside a Cranston retail store and negotiated terms for the sale of the kilo of cocaine. After they reached agreement, the agent directed Goris to a vehicle in the store parking lot which he told Goris contained a bag with a kilo of cocaine. Goris was arrested by members of the Drug Task Force moments after he retrieved and took possession of the bag from the vehicle. Inside the bag was a package made to appear as if it was a kilo of cocaine. Goris, who has been held in federal custody since his arrest, will be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on a date to be scheduled by the court. According to court records, Goris was previously convicted in federal court on drug trafficking charges.
The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of agents and law enforcement officers from the DEA; U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Internal Revenue Service; U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations; Rhode Island State Police; and Cranston, East Providence, Pawtucket, Providence, Newport, South Kingstown, Warwick, West Warwick and Woonsocket Police Departments.
