CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

'It's taken some bad people off the streets': Major drug ring busted up in New Bedford

The Standard Times - 6/15/2021

Jun. 16—NEW BEDFORD — "It's taken some bad people off the streets of New Bedford and it's going to save lives," said Brian Gomes, councilor-at-large, regarding the recent dismantling of a drug trafficking operation in New Bedford that crossed over into Rhode Island.

The Geraldo Rivera Drug Trafficking Organization, operating in the greater New Bedford area and whose members distributed large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana and opioid pills throughout the greater New Bedford area, was part of a multi-year investigation known as "Operation Lunch Break."

An announcement from Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III's office, said a sweep was done on June 11 when "authorities executed multiple search and arrest warrants throughout the cities of New Bedford and Providence, Rhode Island." Targeted residences in New Bedford included apartments on Acushnet Avenue, Walker Street, George Street, Durfee Street and County Street.

More than 100 grams of suspected fentanyl and more than 50 grams of suspected cocaine was during the New Bedford searches, along with roughly $14,000 in cash, the DA reported. Rhode Island HIDTA simultaneously conducted a search warrant in Providence at the residence of the primary drug courier for the drug trafficking organization. Approximately one-and-a-half kilograms of cocaine and half a kilogram of high-grade fentanyl were found.

The investigation identified many individuals involved in Rivera's criminal enterprise, the DA reported. Five residential search warrants in New Bedford and two in Rhode Island were executed, as well as fourteen arrest warrants.

"I want to commend the various law enforcement agencies who worked in a cooperative effort to investigate the Geraldo Rivera Drug Trafficking Organization, which has resulted in serious charges being brought against more than a dozen defendants," Quinn said in the news release. "I especially want to thank the Attorney General's Office for their ongoing support of these types of investigations. Fentanyl has been the primary cause of the increase in fatal overdoses in Bristol County during the past seven years. Through a cooperative law enforcement effort, we will continue to work to interrupt and dismantle these drug trafficking organizations who profit off the addiction and misery of our fellow citizens."

How it all went down

Investigators utilized a variety of resources, according to the DA, which included information through the interception of certain oral and wire communications occurring over four different phone lines. Authorization for the wiretaps of these phone lines was granted by the Bristol County Superior Court.

The communications intercepted from the wiretaps were monitored and classified with the assistance of professional linguists. The intercepted information was relayed to surveillance officers, who in turn, observed drug distribution and trafficking by the members of the Geraldo Rivera Drug Trafficking Organization. Further, significant events, relating to drug purchases, were documented by officers and captured by camera in video recordings.

Throughout the investigation, police learned that many of the individuals who are part of the Geraldo River Drug Trafficking Organization are experienced drug traffickers. Investigators determined that Geraldo Rivera, along with other members of the organization, were responsible for distributing approximately two kilograms of fentanyl and one kilogram of cocaine to drug distributors in the New Bedford area on a monthly basis, the DA reported.

"The opioid crisis is continuing to devastate communities across our state, and it's only worsened during the pandemic," said Attorney General Healey in the press release. "My office is committed to tackling this crisis from all angles, including disrupting dangerous drug trafficking networks like this one. We're grateful for DA Quinn's partnership in getting these deadly drugs off our streets."

Who was arrested?

The defendants arrested in New Bedford during Friday's sweep were:

— Geraldo Rivera, 35, four counts of conspiracy to violate the drug laws — Rivera was arraigned in New Bedford District Court on June 11 and was found dangerous and held without bail.

David Cruz, 26, four counts of conspiracy to violate the drug laws

Nyel Paris-Villanueva, 23, distribute class B drug; trafficking in excess of 36 grams of a Class A drug and six counts of conspiracy to violate the drug laws

Sergio Velasquez, trafficking in excess of 18 grams of cocaine and conspiracy to violate the drug laws

Jessenia Camacho, 27, conspiracy to violate the drug laws

Jose Quinones, 34, conspiracy to violate the drug laws

Jack Neves, 25, conspiracy to violate the drug laws

Edgar Hernandez-Casiano, 30, conspiracy to violate the drug laws

Courtney Reynolds, 22, conspiracy to violate the drug laws

Xavier Thompson, 27, conspiracy to violate the drug laws

Flor Echevarria, 69, conspiracy to violate the drug laws

Rhode Island HIDTA also seized $10,000 in cash during its the search and arrested the alleged drug courier, 34-year-old Hector Concepcion. Since his arrest occurred in Rhode Island, he will go through the Rhode Island court system before being transported to Massachusetts to face other charges here, the DA reported.

The agencies involved in the take down

Involved in the investigation were Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III's office, the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to District Attorney Quinn's office, and the Office of Attorney General Maura Healey, which included assistance from members of the Bristol County Sheriff's Office, Dartmouth and Fall River Police Departments, as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Rhode Island HIDTA Task Force, the press release noted.

Standard-Times digital producer Linda Roy can be reached at lroy@s-t.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @LindaRoy_SCT. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times.

___

(c)2021 The Standard-Times, New Bedford, Mass.

Visit The Standard-Times, New Bedford, Mass. at www.southcoasttoday.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.