News Release [print-friendly version]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2006

Two in Rhode Island are guilty in heroin conspiracy

A federal jury has found Roberto E. Olivo guilty of trafficking in more than a kilogram of heroin. A codefendant, Ancelmo A. Castillo, previously pled guilty to his role in the conspiracy, in which about a kilogram of heroin was brought to Rhode Island from New York.

June W. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England and United States Attorney Robert Clark Corrente announced the guilty verdicts, which the jury returned yesterday after a two-day trial before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Ernest C. Torres in U.S. District Court, Providence. The jury deliberated for about five hours.

During the trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Beckner presented evidence that, in May, DEA Task Force agents developed information that a shipment of heroin would be driven from New York to be delivered to Castillo in Providence and then sold. On May 27, agents set up surveillance outside Castillo’s home on Hempstead Street in Providence. They observed Olivo arrive in a station wagon, take out a black garbage bag and hand it to Castillo.

Agents followed Castillo as he drove to a pharmacy on Elmwood Avenue, where he was to meet with another man to sell the heroin, and arrested Castillo. Hidden under the front seat of his car was the garbage bag, which contained approximately 981 grams of heroin.

Agents then arrested Olivo, who admitted that he had delivered the heroin. Agents also found a secret compartment in the rear of Olivo’s station wagon.

The jury found Olivo, 29, guilty of two charges: conspiracy to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin and possessing with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin. In August, Castillo, 43, pled guilty to the same two charges. Both face a minimum penalty of ten years in prison and a maximum of life plus a $4,000,000 fine.

Olivo and Castillo are detained pending sentencing, which is scheduled for January.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the DEA Task Force investigated the case. Detectives from the Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, East Providence, Warwick, Middletown and Bristol police departments are assigned to the Task Force.