PROVIDENCE, RI – A cross-country drug pipeline has been disrupted with the arrest of Carl Sharp, 49, of Peoria, Arizona. Sharp was ordered detained Monday following his arrest by Providence Police on charges related to trafficking over four kilograms of methamphetamine into Rhode Island, according to United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Charging documents unsealed in U.S. District Court detail a conspiracy where Sharp allegedly shipped controlled substances – meth and cocaine – via U.S. Mail from Arizona, California, and Nevada to numerous addresses within the Providence metropolitan area. The operation wasn’t a one-way street; investigators also allege Sharp was responsible for shipping cash *out* of Rhode Island and back west. At least 16 Priority Mail parcels were identified as originating from the western states destined for Rhode Island, with six parcels traveling in the opposite direction.
A search of four packages, executed under federal warrant, yielded a significant haul: 4.44 kilograms of methamphetamine, 249 grams of cocaine, and a cool $3,000 in cash. But the street-level seizures are just the tip of the iceberg. An FBI-assisted financial investigation revealed Sharp deposited over $320,000 in cash into his personal bank account between January 2022 and May 2024. The money primarily came from ATM deposits in Arizona and Rhode Island, with additional deposits made in California, Nevada, and Massachusetts.
Where did all that cash come from? Investigators believe Sharp was using casinos as a laundry service. During the same period, he withdrew over $225,000 in cash at casinos, a common tactic for converting illicit funds into chips and then cashing out, obscuring the origin of the money. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPS) played a central role in uncovering the scheme, with support from the Providence Police Department.
Sharp faces charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. He appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on Monday and was ordered held without bail. This is a developing story, and a federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Sharp, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Hebert is prosecuting the case. This investigation highlights the continued flow of narcotics from the western United States into New England, and the lengths criminals will go to conceal their profits. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.
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Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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