Woonsocket Man Sentenced To 77 Months For Cocaine Trafficking

WOONSOCKET, RI — A man who pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine on the streets of Woonsocket last spring has been sentenced to 77 months in federal prison. The U.S. Attorney's Office said James Ruth, a former Woonsocket resident, was caught on surveillance selling crack cocaine.

The FBI Safe Streets Task Force arrested Ruth on July 2 following an investigation into cocaine trafficking in Woonsocket. Police said several of Ruth's drug deals were electronically monitored and that four of the deals happened between March 19 and April 30.

Ruth pleaded guilty on Oct. 22 to charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine-based drugs, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and four counts of distribution of cocaine.

U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith delivered the sentence on Thursday, which will be followed by four years of supervised release. United States Attorney Aaron Weisman and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta announced the sentence Thursday afternoon.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Lowell and Sandra Hebert prosecuted the case.