Five indicted in major drug trafficking conspiracy; four of which indicted for allegedly kidnapping U.S. Postal Service letter carrier

A federal indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court Thursday that charges five individuals with allegedly participating in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy involving numerous packages containing kilogram quantities of cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico, also charges four of the co-conspirators with allegedly kidnapping a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier at gunpoint as they searched for cocaine they claimed was missing from a delivered package, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.

The indictment charges Edgar Medina, 36, of Johnston, and Alijah Parsons, 29, Irving Medina, 31, Andres Garay, 35, and Ronald Hall, 39, all of Providence with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; Edgar Medina, Alijah Parsons, Irving Medina, and Andres Garay with aiding and abetting kidnapping; and Irving Medina with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

The indictment alleges that in the days prior to the June 1, 2021, abduction of the postal carrier, some members of the drug trafficking conspiracy surveilled U.S. Postal employees in an effort to identify and follow a postal worker they mistakenly believed had delivered a parcel in Pawtucket. Members of the conspiracy then allegedly kidnapped the letter carrier at gunpoint and drove him at gunpoint to his home, interrogating him about missing cocaine. After it became obvious he knew nothing about the missing cocaine, and after the men learned that the letter carrier did not have a key with him to allow them to enter his locked home to search for cocaine, the letter carrier was returned unharmed to an area near where his postal truck was parked.

According to court documents, during the investigation into the abduction, Postal Inspectors learned of several packages that had been previously shipped from fictitious people and addresses in Puerto Rico to actual addresses in Pawtucket, Cranston, Johnston, and Providence. As the investigation continued, agents intercepted three additional packages that a Rhode Island State Police K-9 alerted for the presence of narcotics. Court-authorized searches of the packages resulted in the discovery of a total of more than three kilograms of cocaine.

Postal Inspectors arranged for controlled deliveries of the packages on June 8, 2021, while recipient addresses were under surveillance by U.S. Postal Service Inspectors, members of the Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, and the Rhode Island State Police Violent Fugitive Task Force. As the packages were delivered, Edgar Medina, Andres Garay, and Ronald Hall were arrested. Court-authorized searches of vehicles and residences associated with the defendants resulted in the seizure of, among other things, masks and a winter cap fitting the description of items worn by the individuals involved in the kidnapping, as well as batons, a set of brass knuckles, and a Taser.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Sandra R Hebert.