Authorities charge 16, 12 from Fall River, concerning large scale Fentanyl trafficking organization

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III today announced the successful conclusion of a four-month long investigation into a large-scale Fentanyl trafficking organization, which was operating in the greater Fall River area.

The wiretap investigation—dubbed Operation Mouse Trap— was launched jointly by the Massachusetts State Police detective unit assigned to the BCDA office and the Fall River Police Department in September. The operation concluded last Friday when law enforcement officials from Massachusetts and Rhode Island executed 11 search warrants, arrested 16 individuals, and seized large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine.

Eight of the 11 search warrants were executed in Fall River, two others were executed in Providence and a final search warrant was executed in Smithfield, RI. During the execution of search warrants, law enforcement seized about 850 grams of fentanyl, 56 grams of cocaine, about $19,000 in cash, an illegal firearm and various steroids and prescription pills.

The initial target of the investigation was a 41-year-old Fall River native, Michael “Squeak” Rebello, and his organization labeled by investigators as the Michael Rebello Drug Trafficking Organization. After an exhaustive and thorough investigation into the organization, investigators deemed it necessary to begin intercepting the phone calls and text messages of members of the organization in an effort to successful dismantle an organization responsible for trafficking high quantities of fentanyl throughout the Fall River area.

The court-authorized wiretap soon led investigators to Rebello’s alleged top drug runner, 33-year-old Fall River native Daniel Correira, and his two main alleged fentanyl suppliers, Adriny Bernard and Eladio Cabral, both of whom reside in Rhode Island. While monitoring the lines of the suspected fentanyl suppliers, investigators identified several other fentanyl traffickers in the Fall River area.

“The increase in the Sale of fentanyl during the last five years has led to a significant increase in the number of fatal overdoes. Through the end of November this year there have been 194 fatal overdoes in Bristol County this year,” District Attorney Quinn said. “These types of investigations are critical to continue to put the pressure on drug dealers for pedaling death on our streets. This is the second wiretap investigation we have done this year with the support of the Attorney General’s Office. I want to thank Attorney General Maura Healy for her financial and investigative support.”

Law Enforcement Agencies assisting in the investigation include: Fall River Police Vice and Intelligence Unit, Bristol County State Police Detective Unit, the Bristol County Sherriff’s Office, Dartmouth Police Department, the New Bedford Office of the Drug Enforcement Agency, and Massachusetts State Troopers assigned to the Attorney General’s Office. Later, members of the Smithfield, East Providence, West Warwick and, Providence Police Departments also joined the effort.

The investigation was funded thanks to the use of a $2.6 million federal grant obtained by Attorney General Maura Healey’s office to expand efforts to combat the opioid crisis and build on the success of the AG’s Fentanyl Strike Force. The grant, awarded by the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Anti-Heroin Task Force grant program, supports the ongoing work of the Fentanyl Strike Force, a multi-faceted partnership between local, state, and federal law enforcement created to aggressively combat the opioid crisis in New England.

“This operation demonstrates the impact of inter-agency collaboration,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. “Our Fentanyl Strike Force was set up to support the ongoing work to combat the opioid crisis, and I want to thank the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office and our partners law enforcement for working collaboratively with us to take down drug networks, bring traffickers to justice, and get millions of lethal doses of heroin and fentanyl off the streets.”

OPERATION MOUSE TRAP ARRESTS AND ARRAIGNMENT INFORMATION

*All defendants were charged with conspiracy to violate the drugs laws.

Defendant/DOB: Kris Ferreira, 9-28-1978
Address: 28 Russell Street, apt 2, Fall River
Additional charges: possess to distribute class B, possess class E (2x)
Bail status: $7,000 and detained on probation violation

Defendant/DOB: Andrea Biszko, 7-31-1985
Address: 4380 North Main st., apt 7A, Fall River
Additional charges: possess class E (2x)
Bail status: $5,000

Defendant/DOB: Frank Ladeira, 2-9-1955
Address: 1030 Dwelly St, apt 1, Fall River
Additional charges: possess to distribute class A
Bail status: $1,500

Defendant/DOB: Nolan Adkins, 11-6-1991
Address: 122 Cambridge St, apt 2, Fall River
Additional charges: trafficking Fentanyl over 18 grams, possess class C
Bail status: held without bail for a dangerousness hearing on 12-24-19

Defendant/DOB: Jamie Medeiros, 11-13-1988
Address: 719 Hick St. apt 2, Fall River
Additional charges: none
Bail status: $3,000

Defendant/DOB: Gerald Satanowski, 11-3-1980
Address: 81 Slab Bridge Road, Assonet
Additional charges: none
Bail status: Personal Recognizance but detained by probation

Defendant/DOB: Daniel Correira, 11-12-1986
Address: 228 Sunset Hill Fall River
Additional charges: none
Bail status: $10,000 and bail revoked on open case

Defendant/DOB: Michael Rebello, 10-30-1978
Address: 719 Hicks Street, apt. 2 Fall River
Additional charges: trafficking fentanyl over 10 grams, distribution of class A, subsequent
Bail status: held without bail for a dangerousness hearing on 1-3-20

Defendant/DOB: Sarah Medeiros, 11-13-1988
Address: 37 Hamlet St. apt 2, Fall River
Additional charges: trafficking fentanyl over 18 grams
Bail status: held without bail for a dangerousness hearing on 1-3-20

Defendant/DOB: Charles Belisle, 10-27-1978
Address: 61 Covel Street, Fall River
Additional charges: trafficking fentanyl over 18 grams
Bail status: held without bail for a dangerousness hearing on 1-3-20

Defendant/DOB: Robert Garafano, 17-27-1970
Address: 61 Covel St., Fall River
Additional charges: trafficking fentanyl over 18 grams
Bail status: held without bail for a dangerousness hearing on 1-3-20

Defendant/DOB: Michael Rebello, 10-30-1978
Address: 719 Hicks Street, apt. 2 Fall River
Additional charges: trafficking fentanyl over 10 grams, distribution of class A, subsequent
Bail status: held without bail for a dangerousness hearing on 1-3-20

Not arraigned yet:

Defendant/DOB: Louis Nunes, 12-26-1978
Address: Fall River
Additional charges: none
Bail status: in custody on other charges, He was arrested on other warrants a few weeks ago, not arraigned yet on conspiracy charge.

Arrested in Rhode Island:

Defendant/DOB: Adriny Bernard, 4-17-1987
Address: 18 Gladstone St, Smithfield, RI
Bail status: held in Rhode Island

Defendant/DOB: Eladio Cabrera, 2-8-1987
Address: 24C Sunset Ave, Providence, RI
Bail status: held in Rhode Island

Defendant/DOB: Oscar Morales, 1-12-1996
Address: 105 Beauford St. Providence, RI
Bail status: held in Rhode Island