⏱ 2 min read
A brazen fentanyl trafficking ring, run by a Providence man and his Mexican supplier, peddled death in the Ocean State. Willys Enrique Santana Ramirez, aka Juan Adorno, 48, admitted to conspiring with his brother-in-law to distribute over 40 grams of the deadly opioid. In exchange for $45,000, Santana Ramirez arranged the delivery of 900 pills containing fentanyl.
DEA agents cracked the case on September 7, 2021, arresting Santana Ramirez and his co-conspirator, Watly Federico Valenzuela Ruiz. The investigation turned up a staggering 8,964 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills with a net weight of 1,012.9 grams of fentanyl.
The case is a grim reminder of the devastating impact of fentanyl on Rhode Island communities. In February 2025, Santana Ramirez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On April 15, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy handed down a 84-month sentence for Santana Ramirez, who will serve four years of supervised release after his prison term.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: RI
- Location: RI
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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