NY Man Caught At TF Green Airport With 29.3 Pounds Of Cocaine: Feds

WARWICK, RI — A New York man was arrested at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport after he was caught with more than 29 pounds of cocaine in his carry-on luggage, U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha said Monday.

Richard Pineda Novas, 46, of Bronx, New York, was charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

On Saturday, Novas landed at TF Green after a flight from the Dominican Republic and was asked to undergo a secondary security screening. According to court documents, Novas' carry-on bag was found to contain 12 rectangular brick-like packages wrapped in plastic and tape, consistent with the manner in which cocaine is packaged.

One of the packages was more closely inspected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, who found cocaine inside, prosecutors said. The 12 packages weighed 13.28 kilograms, or about 29.28 pounds, prosecutors said.

Federal agents also found a bible that contained a paycheck from a New Jersey company in Novas' name and a voided check/direct deposit slip from a New York bank that listed Novas as the payee, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors said Pineda initially denied that the carry-on bag belonged to him, but he later claimed someone he did not know the name of gave him the bag, and he did not know who was going to pick up the package from him in the U.S.

Have a news tip? Email jimmy.bentley@patch.com.