Newport Man Charged for Underage Alcohol Possession

NEWPORT, RI—A 20-year-old city man was summonsed for underage possession of alcohol early Tuesday morning after he was caught with rum and beer in his backpack.

Police said an officer on patrol shortly before 1 a.m. saw two men wearing backpacks duck behind a pickup truck when they noticed police were nearby. That piqued an officers' interest and he soon came upon a beer can and Solo cup on the ground.

Jose R. Fraticelli Valdes, 20, of Jade Way, was nearby with a friend. They both denied the beer can or Solo cup was theirs, but later, Valdes admitted he had alcohol.

Inside the backpack, people found several cans of Bud Light and a plastic bottle that Valdes “admitted contained Captain Morgan Rum.”

Only Valdes was carrying any alcohol and he was issued a municipal court summons and released at the scene.