Providence meth dealer receiving product from Arizona, sentenced to federal prison

PROVIDENCE – A Providence man found by law enforcement to be in possession of more than 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine and two guns was sentenced to federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

According to the Rhode Island Department of Justice, 34-year-old Sean Francis pleaded guilty on February 16, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

According to court documents, a Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation in November 2019 by members of the Rhode Island FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, and the Warwick Police Department determined that Francis regularly received packages containing pound-quantities of crystal methamphetamine shipped from Arizona. Francis stored the meth in his residence and distributed the drug to others.

On November 7, 2019, the FBI Task Force and other members of law enforcement executed a court-authorized search of Francis’ residence and found multiple packages of crystal meth, totaling 51 grams; items used in the distribution of methamphetamine; a handgun, a speed loader, and 14 rounds of .357 magnum ammunition; a revolver with no serial number; and dozens of crystal meth smoking pipes and needles.

At, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., sentenced Francis to 60 months in federal prison to be followed by four years of federal supervised release. The court ordered that Francis serve the first six months of his term of supervised release at a reentry facility.

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