Convicted Felon Arraigned on Drug, Firearm Charges

PROVIDENCE – Scott Arnum, 28, of Providence, was arraigned and ordered detained on a 3-count  indictment charging him with possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves, and Mickey Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of ATF.

The indictment was returned on October 5, 2017.

According to information presented to the Court, on September 18, 2017, a Pawtucket Police officer on patrol stopped a vehicle driven by Arnum for a traffic violation, after the driver stopped short of pulling out in front of a police cruiser while failing to use a turn signal. It is alleged the officer also smelled a strong odor of marijuana believed to be emanating from the vehicle.

According to information presented to the Court, as the officer approached the vehicle she allegedly noticed the driver making rapid movements inside the vehicle, and appeared nervous when the officer encountered him. The officer allegedly again detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Arnum complied with a request from the officer to exit the vehicle.

According to information presented to the court, Arnum was escorted to the rear of the vehicle where the officer allegedly discovered a large bag of marijuana, and four small packets and one larger packet of crack cocaine below the inside rear waistband of Arnum’s underwear. Another bag allegedly containing crack cocaine was located inside Arnum’s underwear. Another bag containing crack cocaine allegedly fell out of Arnum’s underwear after he was transported to the police station.

According to information presented to the court, an inventory of the vehicle conducted at the scene of Arnum’s arrest resulted in the seizure of a loaded 9mm pistol and two loaded 9mm magazines from the vehicle’s glovebox.

According to court records, Scott was previously convicted in federal court for possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. In December 2010, Arnum was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron .

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