North Carolina Resident Indicted, Detained on Federal Firearms, Drug Trafficking Charges

WEST GREENWICH, RI — Anthony M. Thompson, 39, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was arraigned Wednesday in Providence federal court. He was ordered to be detained in federal custody on a federal grand jury indictment. The indictment, which was returned on Tuesday, charged him with being a felon in possession of firearms, possession with the intent to distribute methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Rhode Island State Police arrested Thompson on June 20, following a traffic stop on I-95. Police alleged they seized a cache of loaded, high-powered firearms, camouflage equipment, night-vision goggles, and more than 400 grams of suspected Ecstasy from Thompson’s vehicle.

At the time of his arrest, Thompson, while being questioned outside of his vehicle by a trooper about any criminal record, allegedly shoved the trooper and took off running in the travel lane, against the traffic. After he allegedly failed to respond to commands to stop, including warnings that he would be Tasered, Thompson was Tasered, halted and arrested.

Thompson appeared today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond. A Not Guilty plea was entered. He was returned to the ACI where he is being held on Rhode Island state charges.

Image via Shutterstock