Providence man with over 12 convictions sentenced for local drug trafficking

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence man with a lengthy criminal history, to include more than a dozen convictions for a wide variety of offenses, including breaking and entering, drug trafficking, domestic violence, forgery and counterfeiting, larceny, armed bank robbery, and carrying a concealed weapon, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for trafficking more than a pound of methamphetamine and more than 60 grams of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

John Walker, 61, pleaded guilty on June 13, 2023, to charges of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. He was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John McConnell, Jr., to 60 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of federal supervised release.

During an investigation into Walker’s suspected drug trafficking activities in March 2022, members of the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force observed Walker provide another individual with a sample of methamphetamine. Later that same day the individual arranged for the purchase of meth from Walker. When approached by a DEA Task Force officer, Walker admitted that he had meth on his person and that he had additional drugs stored at a drug den that he frequently visited. Members of the DEA Task Force seized 59 grams of meth and $5,902 in cash from Walker’s person and 449 grams of methamphetamine and 64 grams of fentanyl stashed by Walker at the Providence drug den.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Michael Seaman.

The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of personnel from the DEA; Rhode Island State Police; the Cranston, Middletown, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, Woonsocket, Amtrak Police Departments.