Fugitive Nabbed on Drug Charges

East Providence Police on Feb. 28 arrested a Narragansett resident — who at first provided an identification card with a woman's name — after finding drugs in the hotel room he'd just left.

Matthew Rupp, 27, of 91 Pt. Judith Road, Narragansett, faces three counts of felony drug possession and one count of marijuana possession. Rupp — who gave officers a state ID card identifying him as Kelli Lynn Reilly — had also been sought as a fugitive from justice on a DUI charge and had an active warrant issued by 12th District Court in Harrisburg, PA, on a probation violation.

Rupp gave officers his real birth name after a check of his state-issued identification card returned no information from a criminal background check.

Officers responded to the Extended Stay America Suites at 1000 Warren Ave. at about 4 am for a report of a disturbance.

Patrol Ofc. William Dubois reported that when he arrived, an employee of the hotel pointed out Rupp, who was "banging" on the door  to the entrance on the south side of the building.

As he went to speak with Rupp, Dubois reported that he "detected the smell of marijuana throughout the lobby."

Rupp appeared agitated and "had a hard time making eye contact," according to Dubois, and admitted that he'd "checked out by mistake" and was trying to get back into the hotel.

Dubois wrote in his report that Rupp also admitted to having narcotics in his backpack; a check of the bag produced 11 pills later identified as Lorazepam, an anti-anxiety narcotic, and a plastic bag with 'a large amount' of what appeared to be marijuana.

Later drug tests confirmed the substance to be 15 grams of cannabis.

Under further questioning, Rupp admitted to having left other drugs in the hotel room, Dubois reported.

Dubois wrote that he secured permission from hotel staffers and Rupp to search the room, and found plastic bags containing substances that were later determined to be two grams of cocaine and a small amount of heroin.

Officers processed Rupp at the police station, then presented him for arraignment in Sixth District Court, Warwick, later that morning.

Rupp was ordered held without bail on the fugitive from justice charge, and is scheduled to appear at a status conference on March 13. He is due for a hearing on the drug charges on May 2.