Providence man sentenced for role in fentanyl trafficking ring

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A Providence man was sentenced to prison Wednesday for his role in a fentanyl trafficking ring exposed in 2022.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said 32-year-old Yeury Garcia-Rodriguez was sentenced in Boston federal court to 25 months in prison and two years of supervised release.

Garcia-Rodriguez was one of ten people in Rhode Island and Massachusetts charged for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking operation run by Estarlin Ortiz-Alcantara.

An investigation into the trafficking ring based in Fall River began in March 2021.

Garcia-Rodriguez distributed fentanyl to a government cooperating source at least four times between May 2021 and June 2022, according to the Attorney’s Office.

He also separately sold fentanyl to the source, per officials, and police seized 36 grams of fentanyl from his residence in July 2022.

Garcia-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl on May 9, 2023.

Estarlin Ortiz-Alcantara pleaded guilty on Dec. 14, 2023, and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2024.