DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
District of Rhode Island

For Immediate Release

Friday, January 31, 2014
Peter F. Neronha
, United States Attorney
Contact: Jim Martin

Crack Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Ulicssye Towns, aka Voomp, 35, of Providence, was sentenced in U.S. District Court on Thursday to 60 months in federal prison for trafficking crack cocaine, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha, J Daniel J. Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Providence Police Chief Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr.

Towns was arrested by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Providence Police in May 2012, following an undercover investigation into his drug trafficking activities.

At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., also sentenced Towns to serve 5 years supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Towns pleaded guilty on November 6, 2013, to one count of possession with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base.

According to information presented to the court at the time of Towns’ guilty plea, a lengthy investigation into Towns’ drug trafficking activities resulted in at least five purchases of crack cocaine from Towns by a confidential source who was working at the direction of ATF agents and Providence Police. As a result of those purchases, and additional information gathered by law enforcement, ATF agents and the U.S. Attorney’s Office obtained a court authorized federal search warrant for Towns’ Providence residence and his vehicle. A search of the residence and vehicle on May 2, 2012, resulted in the seizure of nearly 16 grams of crack cocaine found stuffed inside a shoe inside the residence and more than 19 grams of crack cocaine stashed in the housing surrounding the emergency parking break inside of Towns’ vehicle.

Towns has been detained in federal custody since his arrest.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.

 

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Boston Field Division