Cranston man sentenced 5 years for drug trafficking

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Attorney General Peter Neronha said Tuesday a Cranston man was sentenced to serve five years after pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges.

According to court documents, 39-year-old Francisco Vazquez Ramos entered a plea of no contest to one count of possession with intent to distribute one ounce to one kilogram of cocaine and one count of conspiracy to distribute.

Documents said back in April, the Portsmouth Police Department had investigators go undercover and buy the suspected cocaine from Ramos.

Police said they stored the cocaine purchased from Ramos and later obtained a warrant for his arrest.

After getting word from an investigator that Ramos had met with a reported narcotics supplier, members of Portsmouth police and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a traffic stop on him.

Authorities said three people were arrested: Ramos, 35-year-old Sergio Ricard and 49-year-old Nictsa Garcia and also seized 310 grams of cocaine from the car.

Ramos was sentenced to 15 years, with five to serve at the ACI, followed by a 10-year suspended sentence with 15 years of probation.