Providence Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Seizure of More Than Twenty-Four Kilos of Heroin
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence man found to be in possession of more than twenty-two kilos of heroin within hours of having sold two kilos while under law enforcement surveillance in November 2018, was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Jose Figueroa Rosales, 50, pleaded guilty on April 17, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of more than 100 grams of heroin.
According to information presented to the court, in November 2018, while being surveilled by members of the Rhode Island Drug Enforcement Administration Drug Task Force, Figueroa sold an individual two kilograms of heroin. Later that same day, agents and officers executed a court-authorized search of Figueroa’s residence and seized more than twenty-two kilograms of heroin, valued at the time in excess of one million dollars.
The seizure of more than twenty-four kilos of heroin from Figueroa is among the single largest seizures in Rhode Island by law enforcement.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith sentenced Figueroa to 84 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of federal supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, and the Providence Police Department
