News Release
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Rhode Island
September 3, 2009
Providence man sentenced in drug-rip sting
A federal judge today sentenced Khek Choummalaithong, 30, of Providence, to 131 months in federal prison for taking part in a plot to rob drug dealers of cocaine in April 2007. Choummalaithong and three codefendants were actually planning to rob non-existent drug dealers, and a team of ATF agents arrested them on the night of the intended robbery as the defendants discussed how to enter the dealers’ house to commit the robbery.
Acting United States Attorney Luis M. Matos announced the sentence, which U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith imposed in U.S. District Court, Providence.
In January, Judge Smith sentenced Vixay Phommarath, 23, to 72 months in prison, and Nheat Nhim, also 23, to 97 months for their roles in the robbery plot. Souvanh Keosouvanh, 29, is detained in federal custody awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for next month.
At a hearing last October at which Choummalaithong pleaded guilty, Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha said the government could prove that, in the spring of 2007, Keosouvanh had several discussions with an undercover ATF agent about plans to rob Providence-based drug dealers. Keosouvanh said he could provide a “crew” to effect the robbery.
On April 26, 2007, the undercover agent met with Keosouvanh and his crew, consisting of Phommarath, Nhim, and Choummalaithong. The four defendants got into the undercover agent’s car and he drove to a prearranged location. Along the way the defendants discussed how to carry out the robbery. Nhim, Choummalaithong and Phommarath all said they had “burners” on them, while Keosouvanh said he needed one.
At the prearranged location, the four defendants and the undercover agent got out of the vehicle and continued their discussions about how best to carry out the robbery. A team of ATF agents moved in, arrested the four men, and recovered several weapons, including a 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun that Choummalaithong had brought with him, wrapped in a sweatshirt.
Judge Smith sentenced Choummalaithong to 71 months for conspiring to commit the robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm, and an additional 60 months for using a firearm to further a crime of violence.
Nhim and Phommarath pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and to firearms offenses. In December, a jury found Keosouvanh guilty of nine charges: robbery conspiracy, conspiracy to traffic in five kilograms or more of cocaine, two firearms offenses, and four counts of distributing Ecstasy.
Contact: 401-709-5032
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