Tiverton and Fall River Men Sentenced in Oxycodone Dealing Case

Four men have been sentenced to federal prison for distributing oxycodone in the areas of Tiverton and Fall River. The four were arrested following an investigation that began in the summer of 2010 by agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Worcester Tactical Diversion Squad, which included numerous undercover purchases of substantial quantities of oxycodone.

Aaron Almeida, 30, of Tiverton, has been sentenced to 37 months of imprisonment. Along with him, Jason Barreto, 21, of Fall River, has been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison; Donald Alfonso, 30, of Fall River, has been sentenced to 96 months imprisonment; and James Patricio, 25, of Fall River, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison.

The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Steve Steven W. Derr, special agent in charge of the New England field division of the DEA.

According to court documents and information presented to the court, between June 2010 and January 2011, agents with the squad began an investigation into oxycodone distributors operating in the Fall River and Tiverton area. As part of the investigation, DEA agents conducted a number of controlled purchases of oxycodone from the targets. As a result of the investigation, Jason Barreto and Donald Alfonso were charged, arrested and pleaded guilty to conspiring with each other to distribute oxycodone. Aaron Almeida and James Patricio were charged, arrested and pleaded guilty to conspiring with each other to distribute oxycodone.

Between the two cases, agents seized hundreds of oxycodone pills, over $17,500 in cash, and a 2005 GMC Yukon Denali.

The defendants have been detained since their arrests in January. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Hebert.