Bristol County DA: “Career criminal” sentenced in Fall River court on firearm and drug trafficking charges

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn, III has announced that a 42-year-old man pled guilty and was sentenced before the Honorable Raffi Yessayan in the Fall River Superior Court.

Jesse Soares, of New Bedford was sentenced to serve 10 to 12 years in the State Prison for Trafficking in Fentanyl and Cocaine along with enhanced Firearms Charges. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Gillian Kirsch.

In December of 2024, New Bedford Detectives were aware that Soares had several arrest warrants.  On December 14, 2024, Detectives observed him sitting in a vehicle outside of his apartment at 16D Bayberry Drive in New Bedford.  Police stopped the defendant and placed him under arrest.  During a pat frisk, police located 1.9 grams of crack cocaine on his person along with $260 and a set of keys to Soares’ apartment.  In his vehicle police located 6 bags of crack from the driver’s door that weighed 2.8 grams.  In the trunk, police located a digital scale and 3 rounds of 9 mm ammunition.  The defendant did not possess a license to carry or FID card.  Police also obtained a search warrant for Soares’ apartment and in his bedroom, they recovered 639 grams of cocaine, 73 grams of fentanyl, a Canik tP9SF pistol, two large capacity magazines, 88 rounds of 9mm ammunition, digital scales, a calibration weight, and $5,274 in cash. 

Soares previously served a 10-year state prison sentence for Armed Robbery and Possession of a Sawed-off Shotgun in 2011 and a 5-year state prison sentence in 2003 for two Armed Robberies along with serving prior House of Correction time.

“The defendant is a career criminal who continues to peddle large amounts of cocaine and fentanyl for profit. In addition, he was possessing large amounts of ammunition, a firearm, and magazines to facilitate his drug dealing business. He clearly poses a significant danger to the community, and a lengthy period of jail time is warranted,” District Attorney Tom Quinn said.