U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Rhode IslandDistrict of Rhode Island
www.justice.gov/usao/ri For Immediate Release

Monday, February 28, 2011

Peter F. Neronha, United States Attorney
Contact: Jim Martin
(401) 709-5357
USARI.media@usdoj.gov

Federal Jury Convicts Narcotics Trafficker of Drug and Gun Charges

Defendant faces up to life imprisonment

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A federal jury on Friday found Jose Maldonado, 37, guilty of trafficking in cocaine powder, crack cocaine, heroin, and a related firearms offense. The jury returned guilty verdicts on all charges contained in a six count indictment after deliberating for less than three hours. The Warwick man was arrested by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in April of 2009.

During the two-day trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah presented evidence that, on April 7, 2009, local officers and ATF agents arrested Maldonado and executed search warrants at the defendant’s Warwick and Cranston residences and of his GMC Envoy vehicle, seizing more than 720 grams of heroin, 560 grams of cocaine powder, 225 grams of crack cocaine, 2 loaded firearms and more than $6,500 in cash.

Maldonado’s guilty verdict was announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Guy N. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Boston field office.

“Drug dealers do not operate in a vacuum. They are a blight on our neighborhoods, and firearms are very much their tools of the trade. Mr. Maldonado, an armed, full-service drug dealer, has now been brought to justice. He faces a lengthy sentence in federal prison, and deservedly so,â€