Rhode Island State Police arrest 3 after 10 guns, gun parts, 1000s in ammo, 22 extended magazines, array of drugs, cash, seized

The Rhode Island State Police have announced that on Monday, members of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force concluded a months-long investigation into a narcotics trafficking conspiracy operating in the State of Rhode Island. As a result of this investigation, members of the HIDTA Task Force, assisted by members of the Pawtucket Police Narcotics Unit, executed numerous court-authorized search warrants in the communities of Providence, North Providence, Lincoln, and Pawtucket.

During these search warrants, members of the HIDTA Task Force seized a large cache of illegal firearms and ammunition, including numerous ghost firearms. A ghost firearm is privately made without a serial number and is untraceable. Specifically, members of the HIDTA Task Force seized; (2) fully assembled ghost assault rifles, (4) fully assembled ghost semi-automatic pistols, (2) semi-automatic pistols, (2) revolvers, (10) ghost assault rifle lower receivers, (7) ghost pistol frames, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and (22) extended magazines. Additionally, members of the HIDTA Task Force seized hundreds of grams of Fentanyl, Cocaine, Ketamine, Adderall, Marijuana, a kilogram narcotics press, narcotics distribution materials, a money counter, and over $10,000 in cash.

The following men were formally charged with numerous narcotics and firearms charges:

• Tyrone Wilcox, age 47, North Providence
• Christian Frederick, age 41, Pawtucket
• Rocco Tetreault, age 39, Lincoln

Narcotics charges include the Possession With the Intent to Deliver over 1 oz of a Schedule II Controlled Substance – Fentanyl, Possession With the Intent to Deliver over 1 oz of a Schedule II Controlled Substance – Cocaine, Possession With the Intent to Deliver Schedule I/V Controlled Substances – Fentanyl, Cocaine, Ketamine, Adderall, and Marijuana, and Controlled Substance Conspiracy. Weapons charges include Possession of Firearms While Committing Controlled Substance Violations, Possession of Firearms by Certain Persons Prohibited, Possession of Ghost Guns, and Large Capacity Feeding Devices Prohibited.

The men were arraigned by a Justice of the Peace and were held at the ACI Intake Center pending their morning arraignment at the 6th Division District Court.

This seizure is the direct result of collaborative efforts between numerous law enforcement agencies assisting the Rhode Island State Police in their pursuit of violent, and often armed narcotics distributors. The success of these investigations is attributed to the partnerships of the Rhode Island State Police, participating members of the HIDTA Task Force, and other local and federal law enforcement agencies within the State of Rhode Island.

The Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force is comprised of members from the Rhode Island State Police, Providence Police Department, Cranston Police Department, North Providence Police Department, Lincoln Police Department, DEA Providence District Office, and Rhode Island National Guard Counterdrug Program.