Roommates Charged with Dealing Drugs on Broadway

NEWPORT, RI—Narcotics officers had heard reports about two suspects, Alexander Rodriguez, 21, and Thomas Paul Taylor, 22, both of Newport. The roommates allegedly were dealing cocaine, marijuana and Xanax pills from their home on Merton Road. Police put the home under surveillance. But shortly after, the two, known respectively as A-Rod and Trip, moved into a 4-bedroom apartment over a liquor store at 146 Broadway. They shared the apartment with two other roommates, and continued dealing drugs from their new address, police allege.

During surveillance, police allege they saw Taylor in a car as it arrived on Broadway. He left the car by the passenger side, ran into the residence, then returned and ran back to the driver's side. He handed the driver something in an action described as a "hand-to-hand transaction." After stopping the car, police allege the driver was found with Xanax pills, and he told officers he bought the pills from Trip. After searching the driver's cell phone calls and text messages, they went to court to obtain a search warrant for 146 Broadway, which they raided Tuesday at 8:33 a.m.

Several police officers went into the residence by the back door, while others waited by the front door. Rodriguez was watching from an upstairs bedroom window. Officers encountered him inside the apartment kitchen, where there was a scuffle. Another resident with a pit bull came out another bedroom, and police took him "to ground" after a brief struggle. A fourth resident was in a front bedroom. Police allege they found 4.7 grams of cocaine on A-Rod. In Taylor's room, they allege they found 698 Xanax pills, two grams of marijuana, and 15 grams of 'Shatter,' hash oil, worth $6,900.

Taylor was arrested at 8:39 a.m. when he turned himself in. He was charged with two felonies for possessing Xanax with intent to deliver it and for possessing Shatter with intent to deliver it. A-Rod was arrested at 9:24 a.m. He was charged with resisting arrest, a misdemeanor, and with two felonies (for manufacturing, possessing and delivering cocaine, 1 oz. to a kilo; and for possessing marijuana, with intent to deliver it).