Newport Police: Drug Dealer Nabbed Outside Slots Parlor Pleads

NEWPORT, RI — A Fall River, Mass., man on Wednesday pleaded guilty in Providence federal court to accusations he was an armed drug trafficker, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Jose Martinez-Hernandez, 29, is one of four people the Newport police grabbed in the casino's parking lot on Oct. 30, 2017. Martinez-Hernandez was carrying a loaded weapon and 11 grams of cocaine, police alleged.

He was indicted in December on these charges: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine; Possession with intent to distribute cocaine; Possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine; Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and Felon in possession of a firearm.

Three other people were indicted but have not yet gone to trial. They are Antonio Oquendo Cancel, aka ”Loco,” 30; Jorge L. Pizzaro, aka “Chino, 21, of Fall River, and Manuel C. Coradin, 38, of Cranston.

All the arrests stemmed from a Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation into an alleged drug trafficking conspiracy run out of Fall River, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. In October, Newport detectives learned the accused planned to collect $600 for delivering 14 grams of cocaine. The deal was going down at the Newport Grand parking lot. Police were waiting, surrounded the cars and arrested the suspects. Besides the gun and the 11 grams of cocaine Martinez-Hernandez was carrying, police also seized two loaded guns, 14 grams of cocaine and 37 bags of crack.

Martinez-Hernandez is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 7.