Rhode Island/Mass. officials: Dominican national facing deportation after admitting to involvement in drug conspiracy, several kilos seized

A Dominican national detained on drug trafficking charges since March 28, 2022, admitted recently to a federal judge that he acted as a member of a criminal drug conspiracy when he attempted to retrieve U.S. Priority Mail packages containing cocaine intended for later distribution, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

Rafael Fleury Munoz, 23, admitted that, on March 26, 2022, working with other members of the criminal drug conspiracy, he attempted, unsuccessfully, to retrieve a package from a postal carrier that had been mailed to an address in Providence. That package contained 1.15 kilograms of cocaine; two days later, Fleury Munoz successfully retrieved a different parcel, delivered to a Johnston residence, that contained 1.07 kilograms of cocaine.

Fleury Munoz pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and a charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Detained in federal custody since his arrest on March 28, 2022, Fleury Munoz was sentenced to time served and he was ordered turned over to Immigration and Custom Enforcement to face deportation proceedings.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Denise M. Barton and Stacey A. Erickson.

The matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.