Three Plead Guilty to Trafficking Heroin from Mill & Stash House

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Michael Santana Guilermo, 33, of Cranston, R.I., Carlos Ramos Rosa, 37, and Felix Fuentes Perez, 35, of Boston, Mass., pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to operating a heroin mill & stash house in West Warwick, R.I., where they cut and packaged for sale large quantities of high-purity heroin.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi, the three men pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.

The guilty pleas are announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha, Michael Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s New England Field Division, Cranston Police Chief Colonel Michael J. Winquist and West Warwick Police Chief Colonel Richard G. Silva.

A fourth individual, Yhoel Pujols Morel, 25, of Providence, an alleged member of the heroin trafficking conspiracy, is detained in federal custody and awaiting trial.

According to court documents and information presented to the court, an investigation by the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force determined that during 2014, packages containing one or more kilograms of heroin were repeatedly shipped into Rhode Island via common carrier parcel delivery services.  After receipt of the heroin, members of a drug trafficking conspiracy processed the high-purity heroin for further distribution, by breaking apart the kilograms, mixing in adulterants and then repackaging the heroin for redistribution. 

Based on information developed by members of the Drug Task Force, law enforcement determined that a conspiracy to process, package and distribute the heroin was being operated out of a heroin mill & stash house in West Warwick. As a result of evidence developed during the investigation, including the use of electronic surveillance, on November 10, 2014, shortly after Yhoel Pujols Morel allegedly exited the stash house carrying a white bag and drove away from the area, a member of the Cranston Police Department working with the Drug Task Force conducted a traffic stop of the Pujols’ vehicle.  A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a non-factory installed concealed compartment within the driver's side door of the vehicle which allegedly contained approximately 653 grams of heroin.      

The following day, Felix Fuentes Perez and Carlos Ramos Rosa exited the West Warwick residence and entered one vehicle while Michael Santana Guilermo exited the residence and entered a second vehicle.  Shortly after driving away from the residence, a Cranston Police officer working with the Drug Task Force conducted a motor vehicle stop of Perez and Rosa’s vehicle.  A search of the vehicle yielded 1,111.4 grams of heroin concealed inside a hidden compartment under the rear seat. 

Guilermo was arrested on March 4, 2015, by DEA and DEA Drug Task Force agents.

Carlos Ramos Rosa and Michael Santana Guilermo are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi on September 18, 2015. Felix Fuentes Perez is scheduled to be sentenced on October 1, 2015.

Conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin is punishable by statutory penalties of between 10 years to life imprisonment to be followed by between 5 years to lifetime supervised release, and a fine of up to $10,000,000.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.

The DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of law enforcement agents and officers from DEA, Rhode Island State Police, and the Cranston, East Providence, Newport, Providence, South Kingstown, Warwick, West Warwick and Woonsocket Police Departments.

Pawtucket Police detectives assisted in the investigation of this matter.    

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Contact:

Jim Martin (401) 709-5357

email: USARI.Media@usdoj.gov

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