News Release
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Rhode Island
December 11, 2008
Career offender is sentenced to more than 12 years
in prison for cocaine trafficking
A federal judge has sentenced Raymond Texeira, formerly of Newport, to 151 months in prison for trafficking in about three ounces of cocaine in Providence. Texeira, who has two prior state drug trafficking convictions, was sentenced as a career offender.
United States Attorney Robert Clark Corrente announced the sentence, which Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ernest C. Torres imposed yesterday in U.S. District Court, Providence.
In July, Texeira pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine. At the plea hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan said the government could prove that two Providence police detectives saw Texeira make what appeared to be a drug deal in the parking lot of a store on Branch Avenue in February. The officers approached Texeira, who fled on foot, discarding a plastic bag. Detectives caught up with Texeira and one of them retrieved the bag, which contained about 96 grams of cocaine. The detectives also seized about $4,500 in cash and two cell phones from Texeira.
Texeira, 30, was twice previously convicted in Newport County Superior Court of drug trafficking, once for cocaine and once for marijuana. Those two prior offenses, along with this latest offense, made Texeira a career offender under federal sentencing law, which subjected him to a longer sentence than he would have otherwise received.
In addition to Providence Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration also participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch represented the government at the sentencing hearing.
Contact: 401-709-5032 Thomas.connell@usdoj.gov