Traffic Stop Leads to Recovery of Stolen Gun, Crack in Woonsocket

WOONSOCKET, RI—A 23-year-old Woonsocket man was arrested Thursday by city police after a routine traffic stop led to the discovery of a stolen handgun, crack cocaine and marjuana.

Woonsocket police said Alexander Diaz was found with a stolen 9mm handgun and crack with a street value of about $4,000 in addition to a small amount of marijuana.

Diaz was arraigned Thursday in Sixth Division District Court and ordered held at the Adult Correctional Institutions as a bail violator.

He's facing charges of carrying a pistol without a license, possession of narcotics, possession of a stolen firearm, receiving stolen goods and driving while in possession of a controlled substance.

Diaz will return to court on May 4 for a bail hearing and June 23 for a prearraignment disposition conference.

Court records show Diaz has been arrested for driving iwth a suspended license seven times in recent years.

In April, he was charged with domestic disorderly conduct and domestic placing crank or obscene phone calls by Pawtucket police. He was ordered to obtain counseling after pleading no-contest to the second charge; the domestic disorderly conduct charge was dismissed.