Newport Police Seize 900 Grams of Cocaine from Convicted Dealer Free on Probation

NEWPORT, RI—A Providence man convicted for drug distribution in 2007 and sentenced to 25 years in prison was arrested in the parking lot of Newport Grand on Wednesday and later found to be in possession of more than 900 grams of cocaine.

Newport police believe William Gonzalez, 49, of 100 Fillmore St., Providence, has been acting as a cocaine supplier in the area, beginning sometime after his 2014 release from the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston, where he was sentenced to serve 7 years, the remainder on probation.

Police, with the assistance of Providence members of the Drug Enforcement Agency, also seized about 100 grams from his SUV in the casino parking lot and 800 grams of cocaine from a Providence apartment, according to a police report.

Now, Gonzalez is facing a new felony charge of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver and is currently being held without bail at the ACI.

Police said they developed credible information earlier in the day that Gonzales would be arriving in an SUV at the casino in the afternoon to make a drug delivery. Police knew that Gonzalez would be in a vehicle with a handicapped placard hanging from the rear view mirror.

Officers gathered in the lot and soon saw Gonzales arrive in a Toyota Venza with a blue handicapped placard hanging from the mirror.

Police approached the vehicle and Gonzalez immediately admitted that he had a "large amount of cocaine" under the passenger seat of the vehicle, according to the police report. The drugs were kept inside a zip-up Bank of America bank bag that police opened and inside, found 102.3 grams of cocaine. Officers also reported finding more than $400 cash in the center console.

Gonzalez told police that he had another 400 grams of cocaine in his apartment in Providence. But members of the Providence DEA found more than 800 grams after they obtained a search warrant. Along with the drugs, police seized the bank bag, a cell phone and other items.

Court records show Gonzales was convicted of multiple felony counts for drug distribution in 2007. He was sentenced to 25 years , seven to serve, eight suspended.

He was also convicted of possession of a controlled substance in 2003 and was sentenced to a two-year-suspended sentence plus probation.

Gonzalez will appear in court on Sept. 6 for a status conference.