Man with several aliases who illegally entered the country, caught in local drug bust

Local police have announced an area drug bust involving a man with multiple aliases illegally in the country.

Colonel Michael Winquist of the Cranston Police Department has announced the arrest of HELPIS DELACRUZ aka Gelpi Esteban DE LA CRUZ PIMENTAL, Gelpi Esteban DE LA CRUZ, Gelpi DELACRUZ-PIMENTEL, Harvey HERNANDEZ, Harvey VARQUEZ, age 44, of 433 Barleen Avenue, Haenes City, Florida. Delacruz was charged with one count of giving false documents to a public official, one count of identity fraud, and obstructing an officer in execution of duty. In addition to the Cranston Police charges, Delacruz will be charged by Federal ICE agents through the United States Attorney’s Office with Federal Criminal statute – 8 USC 1326 (Felony Re-entry after removal).

On October 23, 2018, at approximately 12:39 pm, members of the Special Investigations Unit were conducting surveillance at a location on Briggs Street in Cranston for narcotics violations. Detectives witnessed a subject operating a Toyota SUV, later to be determined to be Delacruz, pull into the surveilled location and pick up another individual. Based on the actions of the individuals, detectives believed a narcotics transaction had occurred. Delacruz was followed in his vehicle by detectives who later stopped him on Dyer Avenue with the assistance of patrol units. During the car stop the Delacruz provided documents identifying himself as Orlando Gonzalez Soto and provided a Puerto Rico driver’s license and a Social Security card. Delacruz was extremely nervous when detectives questioned him and admitted he was concealing fentanyl inside his buttocks. A check of the Puerto Rico license number he provided came back to a different person identified as Jose Polanco Restituyo with a different date of birth raising the officer’s suspicion.

Delacruz was transported to the Cranston Police Department for further investigation where he was fingerprinted and immediately identified by a biometric fingerprint match as Helpis Delacruz, age 44, of 433 Barleen Avenue, Haenes City, Florida. A criminal history check revealed Delacruz had prior criminal convictions in Rhode Island for felony offenses and had been subject to deportation by ICE. Detectives contacted ICE agents in Providence who confirmed that Delacruz had re-entered the United States after being deported to his native country of the Dominican Republic on May 20th, 1998 as a result of a criminal conviction for possession of cocaine. Detectives were unable to recover fentanyl from Delacruz’s person, but seized several supporting documents in the name Orlando Gonzalez Soto. The documents which were believed to have been fraudulently obtained by Delacruz included a Social Security Card, Puerto Rico Driver’s License, Old Navy Credit Card, Indigo Mastercard, Bank of America – Capital One Mastercard and a Bank of America Cash Rewards Card.

Delacruz was arraigned in the Third District Court this morning and released on personal recognizance. Cranston Police remained in contact with ICE agents who were waiting in the parking lot of the courthouse at which they took Deleacruz into their custody.

Colonel Winquist stated, “This arrest is yet another example of the importance of local law enforcement working in cooperation with ICE to remove dangerous criminals from our streets. I commend our officers and the ICE agents who were in constant communication from the time the suspect was processed by our police department, until the time he was re-arrested by Federal authorities outside of the courthouse.”

Mayor Fung stated, “I commend our police officers for taking swift action to remove a convicted felon here illegally and suspected of dealing fentanyl from our streets. I also commend our department for promptly notifying ICE about his arrest. Our cooperation with ICE revealed this individual was already deported for a felony drug conviction in Rhode Island, only to return to commit more crimes. As the opioid crisis continues to devastate our community, this type of alleged criminal activity will not be tolerated, and our police department will always cooperate with federal authorities to ensure public safety.”