RI Resident Sentenced in Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy

PROVIDENCE – A Providence man was sentenced on Thursday to 72 months in federal prison for arranging the shipment of more than 200 packages containing hundreds of grams of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Rhode Island, some of which he arranged while incarcerated at the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institution.

William Gonzalez, 50, of Providence, was also ordered by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr, to serve 4 years supervised release upon completion of his term of incarceration. The government and the defense recommended the court impose a sentence of 72 months incarceration. The federal prison sentence imposed is to be served consecutive to a sentence of 25 years, 12 years to serve imposed in Rhode Island state court on August 31, 2016, in an unrelated case. In that case, Gonzalez pleaded nolo contendre to possession of cocaine with the intent to deliver.

The U.S. Sentencing Guideline imprisonment range in this matter is 210-262 months.

Gonzalez’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; and Shelly A. Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division.

Gonzalez pleaded guilty on October 3, 2017, to one count each of conspiracy to possess one or more kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute and possession of one or more kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute.

At the time of his guilty plea, Gonzalez admitted to the Court that beginning in January 2016, he traveled repeatedly to Puerto Rico for the purpose of purchasing large quantities of cocaine, and arranging for the drugs to be shipped via the U.S. Postal Service to various addresses in Rhode Island. Gonzalez admitted to participating in a conspiracy in which he was responsible for at least 203 packages containing a minimum of 300 grams each being shipped from Puerto Rico to Rhode Island. Gonzalez was responsible for the shipment of nearly 61,000 grams of cocaine into Rhode Island.

On August 31, 2016, Gonzalez was arrested by Rhode Island State Police and ordered detained at the Adult Correctional Institution. While incarcerated, he continued to direct other members of the conspiracy to purchase cocaine in Puerto Rico and to mail the cocaine back to Rhode Island.

The case in federal court was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Ferland.

The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

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