Drug dealer who regularly posed for social media with drugs and guns sentenced

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A Woonsocket man was sentenced Thursday to federal prison after a firearm and drug trafficking conviction, according to acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

Jose Marrero, 36, pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

He will now serve more than 15 years in federal prison.

Marrero has been convicted twice in Rhode Island on drug trafficking charges and “freely displayed photographs and videos on social media of himself in possession of drugs and firearms, notably semi-automatic pistols, AR-15 style rifles, and semi-automatic pistols that have been modified with machinegun conversion devices.”

He also posted photos of himself with firearms while watching TV, playing video games and driving around Rhode Island.

Other media showed Marrero in possession of several kilos of cocaine, and text messages obtained by law enforcement conveyed “how active, eager, and dangerous of a drug trafficker he is.”

Two kilograms of narcotics per week were moved by people in Marrero’s employ, and he would also complain about poor productivity of these workers.

Marrero made his possession of numerous firearms well known and would accept firearms as payment in narcotics sales.