RI Woman Gets 4.5 Pounds Of Fentanyl Through The Mail: Feds

PROVIDENCE, RI — A Rhode Island woman was arrested Monday after retrieving a package on her porch that federal authorities say contained more than 4.5 pounds of fentanyl.

Prosecutors said the package contained a sound speaker, which had the fentanyl hidden inside it.

Rosangeles Bueno, 40, of Providence, was charged with conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and unlawful use of a communication facility to facilitate the distribution of a controlled substance.

According to court documents, Homeland Security officials were made aware on March 16 of a package being delivered to Bueno. UPS security officials said the package was suspicious and appeared to be addressed to a fake name.

Prosecutors said since January, six packages with similar characteristics were shipped to the same address. All six packages were addressed to people who did not live at the residence, prosecutors said.

According to court documents, UPS security opened the package and found a brick-like object inside a speaker. A Warwick police K-9 examined the package and found that it contained more than 4.5 pounds of fentanyl, prosecutors said.

On Monday, federal agents removed the fentanyl from the package and replaced it with a substance that looked like the drug. A Homeland Security agent, posing as a UPS employee, delivered the package to the front porch.

Prosecutors said a surveillance team watched Bueno come outside, check the area for police, and then bring the package to the back of the building.

Federal agents got a search warrant and found the package in an abandoned car behind the building, prosecutors said. Inside the home, authorities said they discovered three children, a certified nursing assistant and another adult.

In Bueno's bedroom, authorities said they seized 1,180.61 grams of fentanyl, about 61 grams of cocaine, around 11 grams of butyryl fentanyl, cutting agents, two hydraulic kilo presses and other items used to sell drugs.

Bueno appeared in court Tuesday and was ordered held in federal custody until a preliminary hearing. The preliminary hearing was scheduled for Friday.