Providence man found hiding in closet pleads guilty to drug trafficking

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A Providence man pleaded guilty to drug trafficking on Tuesday.

United States Attorney Zachary Cunha said 30-year-old Stanli Arias De La Rosa was found hiding in a closet on March 10, 2023, as drug officials searched his apartment.

Agents from the DEA Rhode Island Drug Task Force seized over 450 grams of fentanyl, 43 grams of cocaine, and almost 15 grams of crack cocaine from the Providence residence.

De La Rosa was arrested and ultimately pleaded guilty over a year later in federal court to a charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Officials said De La Rosa was previously arrested for possession of cocaine in Nebraska in September 2022 for allegedly trafficking over two pounds of cocaine in the trunk of his car.

He was the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant at the time of his arrest in Providence for failure to appear in Nebraska court.

De La Rosa is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 regarding the most recent case.