Four Arrested On Federal Charges Of Trafficking Oxycodone
Three Others Charged in Massachusetts State Court
PROVIDENCE, RI. - Steven W. Derr, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement (DEA) for New England, United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha, Tiverton Police Chief Thomas Blakey, and Fall River Police Chief Daniel S. Racine announced today that four men were arrested Monday on federal complaints alleging that they trafficked significant amounts of Oxycodone in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. Three other individuals were arrested and charged in Massachusetts state court. The federal charges follow an investigation in which, according to court documents, numerous undercover purchases of between eight and 105 Oxycodone pills were made in Tiverton, R.I. and Fall River, Mass.
Aaron D. Almeida, 29, of Tiverton, R.I., and Jason T. Barreto, 24, Donald V. Alfonso, 25, and James A. Patricio, 24, of Fall River, Mass., made initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Providence Monday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge David L. Martin on criminal complaints charging them with conspiracy to distribute Oxycodone. Almeida, Barreto and Alfonso were ordered detained. Patricio was released on $10,000 secured bond.
A complaint is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Hebert. The matter was investigated by the DEA’s Worcester Tactical Diversion Squad; Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit of the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office; Tiverton, R.I., Police; Fall River Police; and Massachusetts State Police.
