The Rhode Island State Police recently announced the conclusion of a months-long investigation into a drug trafficking operation in Rhode Island. On Monday, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, with help from the Pawtucket Police Narcotics Unit, carried out several court-approved search warrants in Providence, North Providence, Lincoln, and Pawtucket.
During these searches, the police found a large amount of illegal guns and ammunition, including ghost guns.
Ghost guns are homemade firearms that don’t have serial numbers, making them untraceable. Among the items seized were two ghost assault rifles, four ghost pistols, two regular pistols, two revolvers, 10 ghost assault rifle lower parts, seven ghost pistol frames, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and 22 extended magazines.
Police also confiscated hundreds of grams of illegal drugs such as fentanyl, cocaine, ketamine, Adderall, and marijuana. Other items seized included a drug press, drug distribution materials, a money counter, and more than $10,000 in cash.
Three men were charged with various drug and weapons offenses:
- Tyrone Wilcox, 47, from North Providence
- Christian Frederick, 41, from Pawtucket
- Rocco Tetreault, 39, from Lincoln
The drug charges included the possession of fentanyl, cocaine, ketamine, Adderall, and marijuana with the intent to distribute. The weapons charges included possessing firearms while involved in drug activities, possessing ghost guns, and having large-capacity magazines.
The men were arrested and held at the ACI Intake Center before their next court appearance.
This operation was the result of teamwork between several law enforcement agencies, including the Rhode Island State Police, local police departments, the DEA, and the Rhode Island National Guard Counterdrug Program.