Antonio Fortes, a 25-year-old associate of the notorious YNIC street gang, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence to trafficking heroin and cocaine, as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to federal court documents, Fortes was investigated by ATF agents, who conducted controlled purchases of crack cocaine and conducted repeated surveillance of the defendant’s activities. The investigation culminated with a court-authorized federal search warrant executed on March 24, 2015, at Fortes’ Cranston residence, resulting in the seizure of numerous packets of heroin, crack cocaine, and a loaded .45 caliber handgun.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Milind M. Shah and William J. Ferland.
Law enforcement officers from the Cranston, Pawtucket, and Providence Police Departments assisted agents from the ATF in the investigation.
A separate investigation, currently ongoing in state court, has Fortes facing murder and weapons charges stemming from the October 22, 2014, shooting in Providence that resulted in the death of Terry Robinson.
Fortes is scheduled to be sentenced on December 3, 2015, for his federal crimes, which carry a range of penalties. Meanwhile, he awaits trial in state court on charges including murder, discharge of a firearm while in the commission of a crime of violence, assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a firearm without a license, and conspiracy.
Defendant Name: Antonio Fortes
Criminal Charges: Trafficking heroin and cocaine, being a felon in possession of a firearm
City and State: Providence, Rhode Island
Exact Date: March 24, 2015 (investigation), December 3, 2015 (sentencing)
Sentence or Outcome: Pleaded guilty, awaiting sentencing
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- Kelvin Regalado, Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking, Massachusetts 2023 · Rhode Island
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Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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