Warwick Men Arrested in ‘Significant’ RISP Drug Bust

WARWICK, RI — Two Warwick men are among five arrested last week in a ‘significant’ RISP drug bust, among the largest single-day weapons and drug seizures in State Police history, according to the agency.

On Thursday, Feb. 15, the Rhode Island State Police HIDTA Task Force, assisted by the Rhode Island State Police Detective Bureau, Providence Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, concluded several months of unrelated narcotics and firearms investigations, seizing weapons and a “significant amount” of narcotics at locations in Providence, Johnston, Smithfield, and Warwick. The six men were arrested in the process.

All the men were arraigned on Friday, Feb. 16, and held without bail.

“I want to commend our detectives and law enforcement partners for their great work on these investigations,” said Colonel Darnell S. Weaver, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of the Department of Public Safety. “As a result of their outstanding work, we took a tremendous amount of deadly narcotics off the street and seized illegal guns.”

In total, during the RISP drug bust, members of the State Police HIDTA Task Force seized:

• 33 kilograms of fentanyl
• 4.5 kilograms of cocaine
• 3.3 kilograms of Methamphetamine
• 170 grams of Heroin
• 17 pounds of Marijuana
• Sig Sauer .45 caliber pistol (loaded
• Smith and Wesson .380 caliber pistol
• Glock .45 caliber pistol
• Berretta 9mm pistol
• Smith and Wesson .380 caliber pistol with obliterated serial number
• numerous extended magazines,
• narcotics distribution materials, and a large sum of United States Currency.

The following individuals were arrested and charged:

Justin Bernard, 29, of 212 Kilvert Street, Warwick for 1) Possession with Intent to Deliver of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance – Cocaine 2) ) Possession with Intent to Deliver of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance – Fentanyl 3) ) Possession with Intent to Deliver of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance – Marijuana 4) Providence County Superior Court Bench Warrant for a 32F Technical Violation on a Possession of Schedule I-V charge out of the East Greenwich Police Department and 5) Third District Court Bench Warrant for Failure to Appear for Pretrial Conference on the original charge of Driving on a Suspended License.

Nelson Castro, 25, of 190 Putnam Pike Apartment #A, Johnston for 1) Possession with Intent to Deliver of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance – Cocaine 2) ) Possession with Intent to Deliver of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance – Fentanyl 3) Possession of a Firearm while Committing a Controlled Substance Violation.

Daniel Douangmala, 35, of 710 Providence St., Woonsocket for 1) Possession with Intent to Deliver of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance – Cocaine 2) Possession of a Firearm while Committing a Controlled Substance Violation 3) License of Permit Required to Carry a Pistol 4) Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

Daniel Douangmala, 35, of 710 Providence St., Woonsocket for 1) Possession with Intent to Deliver of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance – Cocaine 2) Possession of a Firearm while Committing a Controlled Substance Violation 3) License of Permit Required to Carry a Pistol 4) Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

Jhogel Florentino, 30, of 59 Thackery St., Apartment #4, Providence for 1) Possession of a Firearm while Committing a Controlled Substance Violation 2) Possession of a Firearm while Committing a Controlled Substance Violation 3) Possession of a Firearm while Committing a Controlled Substance Violation 4) Alteration of Marks of Identification of Firearms 5) Large Capacity Feeding Devices Prohibited 6) Large Capacity Feeding Devices Prohibited 7) Possession with Intent to Deliver of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance – Fentanyl 8) Possession of Fentanyl In Excess of 1KG 9) Possession with Intent to Deliver of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance – Cocaine 10) Possession of Cocaine In Excess of 1KG 11) Possession with Intent to Deliver of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine 12) Possession of Methamphetamine In Excess of 1KG 13) Possession with Intent to Deliver of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance – Marijuana 14) Possession of Marijuana in Excess of 5 KGs.

Fredy Montilla, 41, of 27 Forrest St., Apartment #B, Warwick for 1) Possession with Intent to Deliver of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance – Heroin 2) ) Possession with Intent to Deliver of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance – Fentanyl 3) Possession of Heroin 1oz-1kg and 4) Possession of Fentanyl 1oz-1kg.

All of the seizures were the direct result of a collaborative effort between the Rhode Island State Police and the numerous law enforcement partners who share the same goal of pursuing violent, and often armed narcotics distributors. The success of these investigations is attributed to the partnerships of the Rhode Island State Police, participating members of the HIDTA Task Force and other local and federal law enforcement agencies within the State of Rhode Island, the agency said in their announcement of the arrests and seizures.

Author: Rob Borkowski

Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.