Aaron Philbert, 29, of Pawtucket, is behind bars after being ordered detained in federal custody on charges of heroin and cocaine trafficking, and being a felon in possession of two loaded firearms.
A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Philbert with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of firearms, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.
During his arraignment before U.S. District Court Judge Patricia A. Sullivan, a not guilty plea was entered. The indictment and arraignment were announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha, DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson, Pawtucket Police Chief Paul King, and Newport Police Chief Gary T. Silva.
According to information presented to the court, on February 8, 2016, during an investigation into Philbert’s alleged drug trafficking activities, law enforcement executed a court authorized search warrant inside Philbert’s residence and allegedly seized a loaded Glock 21, .45 caliber pistol that had been reported stolen, a loaded .357 magnum revolver, 13.8 grams of heroin, more than an ounce of cocaine, more than $11,000 in cash, and numerous items used in the packaging and distribution of drugs.
Philbert, who was on federal supervised release at the time of his arrest in February, pleaded guilty in May 2010, to one count of possession with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of cocaine base. He was sentenced in June 2011, to 63 months incarceration to be followed by 5 years supervised release.
An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard W. Rose. The matter was investigated by the DEA Drug Task Force, with the assistance of the Pawtucket and Newport Police Departments.
Contact: Jim Martin, Public Information Officer, (401) 709-5357
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Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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