News Release
U.S. Department of Justice
Peter F. Neronha
United States Attorney
District of Rhode Island

December 15, 2010

CRACK DEALER SENTENCED TO 7 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON ON
DRUG AND FIREARM CHARGES

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Providence to eighty-four months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Scott Arnum, 21, was arrested by officers assigned to the Providence Police Narcotics and Organized Crime Bureau (NOC) in January 2010. The arrests followed an investigation into the sale of crack cocaine from the defendant’s apartment. Arnum pleaded guilty to the charges in August.

The sentence, which was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, was announced by U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha.

At the time of Arnum’s guilty plea, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan told that court that officers from the NOC approached Arnum as he walked toward his apartment. Arnum handed officers a bag of marijuana he had on his possession, at which time police took him into custody.  Officers searched Arnum and discovered more than 1.1 grams of crack cocaine in eleven individually wrapped bags in his waistband. 

            Officers from the NOC next executed a state search warrant on Arnum’s apartment and seized, among other items, approximately twenty-five grams of crack cocaine, a Smith & Wesson, .40 caliber pistol, drug paraphernalia, and $4,930 in cash.

            During questioning at Providence Police headquarters, the defendant provided a written statement indicating that the seized narcotics and the firearm belong to him.

            Arnum has been detained since his arrest. He has been previously convicted of a felony crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

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Contact: 401-709-5357
USARI.Media@usdoj.gov