News Release
U.S. Department of Justice
Peter F. Neronha
United States Attorney
District of Rhode Island
February 6, 2012
Convicted Felon pleads Guilty to Federal Drug, Firearm Charges
DEA Drug Task Force investigation resulted in arrest of Abel Perez
for trafficking heroin, seizure of two firearms
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Abel Perez, 30, of Cranston, faces up to 45 years in federal prison for trafficking in heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm, and an additional minimum mandatory consecutive sentence of five years in prison for use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, having pled guilty to those charges on Friday in U.S. District Court in Providence. Perez was arrested by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Drug Task Force agents in September 2011.
Perez’s guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Kevin L. Lane, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New England field division of the DEA.
According to information presented to the court, beginning in April 2011, DEA agents made several undercover controlled purchases of varying amounts of heroin from Perez. On September 7, 2011, DEA Task Force agents watched Perez as he entered his Cranston residence empty handed, exiting a short time later a carrying a paper bag which he then placed onto the front seat of his vehicle. Perez was immediately surrounded and detained by the agents. Perez consented to a search of the vehicle and of his two residences, the one he had just exited, which included a garage, and another in Johnston.
In searching the vehicle, agents found more than 100 grams of heroin in the bag they saw in Perez’s possession, and 400 grams of heroin and a loaded .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun in a secret compartment behind the vehicle’s radio. A search of Perez’s residences and garage turned up additional quantities of heroin, approximately $7,000 in cash, a .357 revolver, and an assortment of ammunition.
Perez, who is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20, 2012, by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, has been detained since his arrest.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Adi Goldstein.
Contact: 401-709-5357
USARI.Media@usdoj.gov
