PROVIDENCE, RI — A drug pipeline from Fall River to Newport has been shut down, with the sentencing of two key players caught red-handed in a violent narcotics conspiracy. Jose Martinez-Hernandez, 30, and Jorge L. Pizzaro, aka “Chino”, 21, were sentenced today to 36 and 63 months in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in trafficking cocaine and crack cocaine into Newport — a scheme that ended in a high-stakes takedown at the Newport Grand casino parking lot in October 2017.
The arrests came during a targeted Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation led by Newport Police. On October 30, 2017, detectives moved in on a pre-arranged drug deal: 14 grams of cocaine for $600. When two vehicles arrived in tandem at the casino lot, police swarmed them. Inside, they found a loaded firearm on Martinez-Hernandez, along with 11 grams of cocaine. A broader search turned up two more loaded firearms, 14 grams of additional cocaine, and 37 individual bags of crack cocaine — 37 of which were found on Pizzaro himself. Under his seat: another loaded gun.
Martinez-Hernandez pleaded guilty on May 16, 2018, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He will serve 36 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge William E. Smith imposed the sentence, underscoring the danger posed by armed drug traffickers operating across state lines.
Pizzaro, the 21-year-old known as “Chino,” pleaded guilty on July 12, 2018, to the same charges minus the felon-in-possession count. His 63-month sentence reflects both the quantity of drugs and the presence of firearms directly tied to the distribution operation. Judge Smith emphasized that carrying weapons during drug deals escalates violence and destabilizes communities.
Two others were also charged in the federal indictment: Manuel C. Coradin, 38, of Cranston, and Antonio Oquendo Cancel, aka “Loco,” 30, of Fall River. Coradin pleaded guilty November 30, 2018, to multiple drug charges and was sentenced March 8, 2019, to 36 months in prison plus three years supervised release. Cancel pleaded guilty April 4, 2019, to conspiracy, drug distribution counts, and firearm possession in furtherance of drug trafficking. His sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2019, before the same federal judge.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Hebert, with investigative support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Boston Field Division. U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Newport Police Chief Gary T. Silva, and ATF Special Agent in Charge Kelly D. Brady jointly announced the sentences. The takedown is hailed as a win under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative — a nationwide strategy targeting violent crime through coordinated law enforcement action. The message is clear: armed drug trafficking won’t be tolerated on Rhode Island streets.
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Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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