News Release
June 11, 2010
Contact: Special Agent Tony Pettigrew
Number: 617-557-2138

Drug Dealer Sentenced To Federal Prison and Sent Back To School

JUN 11 -- (Providence, R.I.) – A Pawtucket man, arrested following a failed delivery of cocaine in April 2009, was sentenced Friday to 24 months in federal prison; 3 years supervised release; and 300 hours community service which the court will waive if the defendant enrolls in higher education courses. Freddy Alberto Rivera, 23, was arrested moments after leaving a Cranston auto shop after trying to deliver a package of cocaine. Rivera pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in November 2009 to one count of possession of more than 500 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute.

The sentence was announced by Steven W. Derr, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England and U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha, which was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith.

At the time of the defendant’s guilty plea, Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah told the court, had the matter gone to trial the government would have presented evidence that a reliable confidential informant told a law enforcement officer that in the late afternoon to early evening, a cocaine transaction was to occur at the auto shop.  The informant specified that the cocaine would be arriving in a dark colored BMW.

Late in the afternoon, Rivera arrived at the auto shop in black 2004 BMW 745i sedan, removed a packet containing 1001.34 grams of cocaine from the trunk and entered the building.  A short time later, Rivera exited the building, returned the packet of drugs to the trunk of his car, and drove away. Officers stopped the vehicle a short distance away and located the packet of cocaine in the trunk. Rivera told police that an acquaintance had asked him to deliver the drugs to a person at the auto shop, but that he determined that the intended recipient was not showing up. Rivera told police he was on his way to return the drugs to his acquaintance.  

The matter was investigated by the Providence Police Department and DEA.