Three men arrested and accused of operating local large-scale narcotics distribution network

The Rhode Island State Police has announced that on Thursday, members of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and State Police Detective Bureau, assisted by the Woonsocket and East Providence Police Departments, arrested three men accused of operating a large-scale narcotics distribution network.

During the investigation, approximately 483 grams of cocaine, 173 grams of crack cocaine, 337 grams of fentanyl, narcotics distribution materials, and United States currency, was seized.

This seizure and arrests were the result of an investigation initiated by the Rhode Island State Police HIDTA Task Force into information developed identifying three members who were operating a sophisticated narcotics distribution network. The HDITA Task Force identified that individuals involved were operating with suppliers and runners, and utilizing a “stash” residence to distribute narcotics.

At the conclusion of this investigation, court authorized search warrants were executed at four residences with the assistance of members from State Police Detective Bureau, the Woonsocket Police Department, East Providence Police Department, and Drug Enforcement Administration Providence Resident Office.

32-year-old Jeffrey Woodrops of Woonsocket, 36-year-old Joshua Wilcox of Providence, and 23-year-old Omar Santana of East Providence were taken into custody.

All three men were formally arraigned as co-defendants at 6th Division District Court where they were held without bail and remanded to the Adult Correctional Institute pending future court dates. Narcotic charges include possession of cocaine in excess of one (1) kilogram, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance (cocaine), possession of crack cocaine in excess of one (1) kilogram, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance (crack cocaine), possession of fentanyl in excess of one (1) kilogram, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance (fentanyl), and Conspiracy to Violate the Uniform Controlled Substances Act.

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, North Providence Police Department, Lincoln Police Department, Middletown Police Department, Bristol Police Department, Narragansett Police, DEA Providence District Office, and the Rhode Island National Guard Counterdrug Program.