7 Indicted In RI In CA Drug-Trafficking Case

CRANSTON, RI — Seven people were indicted in federal court in a nationwide drug trafficking scheme. According to Rhode Island U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, more than 200 packages of heroin and cocaine were mailed from California to P.O. boxes in Providence and Southeastern Massachusetts.

Investigators found that more than 100 packages were sent back to Los Angeles, Culver City and Marina del Rey.

Two people from Los Angeles and five from Providence were charged in the indictment, which was unsealed on Thursday, Weisman's office said Friday. All seven are accused of having a role in the cross-country operation which sent drugs to Southern New England and payments back to California.

According to Weisman, court documents showed that Robert A. Brown, 41, and Deondre Jones, 42, both of Los Angeles, started sending the packages with cocaine and heroin to commercial mailboxes in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in February 2017. The mailboxes were rented by Valerie G. Gamboa, 26, Marion V. Gamboa, 25, and Giselle S. Polanco, 21, all of Providence, using fake IDs.

Joel P. Sennon, 41, and Shawn A. Silva, 37, also of Providence, Polanco and others took the packages from the mailboxes, while Silva and others sent back packages with payment.

Investigators found that at least 219 packages were sent containing large amounts of narcotics. Packages seized by police had 383 grams of heroin and 560 grams of cocaine. Video surveillance shows the suspects mailing and picking up the packages.

On Aug. 14, police raided Brown's apartment in Los Angeles, finding more than a kilogram of cocaine in bags, more than $32,000 in cash, two loaded guns, mailing receipts, mailbox rental receipts, fake driver's licenses, a cash counter and other drug packaging paraphernalia