Fernando Santana, a 26-year-old Providence resident, is facing up to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Providence Police Chief Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr. today.
The guilty plea stems from an incident on May 22, 2013, when Santana was arrested by Providence Police following a brief foot pursuit. According to information presented to the court, Santana stashed a loaded .357 revolver in a stack of mattresses while fleeing police.
Prosecutors allege that Santana violated the terms of his federal supervised release imposed in 2011, at which time he also received a term of imprisonment of 37 months for drug trafficking. Santana is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Mary M. Lisi on December 12, 2013.
The case against Santana is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee H. Vilker and Richard B. Myrus. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted Providence Police in the investigation of this matter.
Santana’s guilty plea comes after he was arrested by Providence Police following a dispatch broadcast of an individual with a gun in a South Side neighborhood. As a Providence detective exited his vehicle to speak with two men who fit the description of the individuals described in the broadcast, Santana fled on foot.
An officer in pursuit came upon Santana and noticed him grasping at his waist. As the officer continued the pursuit and came around the corner in a rear yard, he noticed Santana retracting his hand from between a pile of mattresses. Santana was apprehended a short distance away, and a loaded .357 revolver was retrieved from the pile of mattresses.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat gun violence and hold individuals accountable for their crimes. As Santana faces sentencing in December, residents of Providence are left to wonder what could have been done to prevent this incident from occurring in the first place.
Contact: 401-709-5357, USARI.Media@usdoj.gov
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Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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