Florida man pleads guilty in federal court to cocaine trafficking

PROVIDENCE – A Florida man pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to trafficking large quantities of cocaine through the U.S. Postal Service to addresses in the Blackstone Valley.

Rinaxo Rufino, 34, of Miramar, is one of two Florida men who were charged in U.S. District Court in August with trafficking more than five kilograms of cocaine into Rhode Island.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Rufino admitted that he conspired with Gabriel Concepcion, 28, of Kissimmee, to receive at least three multi-kilogram shipments of cocaine through the U.S. Postal Service from Puerto Rico to residences in Central Falls and Cumberland, federal prosecutors said. Each shipment contained approximately three kilograms of cocaine. The pack- ages were intercepted and seized by U.S. Postal Inspectors prior to their delivery to the intended recipients.

Rufino admitted that he and Concepcion intended to provide the kilograms of cocaine to others.

Rufino pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess five kilograms of cocaine, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12, 2018.

Concepcion is awaiting trial on an indictment charging him with conspiracy to possess more than five kilograms of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to information presented to the court, postal inspectors and Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force agents arrested Rufino on Aug. 26, 2017, when he attempted to retrieve a package containing 3,029 grams of cocaine addressed to a Central Falls residence. The postal inspectors had identified cocaine in the package prior to delivery and removed the controlled substance. In its place inspectors placed similarly weighted non-contraband material.

It is alleged that the parcel was one of three Rufino and Concepcion intended to acquire. Another, addressed for delivery to a residence in Cumberland, contained approximately 3,007 grams of cocaine and was seized by postal inspectors on Aug. 25, 2017. Yet another, mailed to an address in Central Falls, contained about 3,007 grams and was seized by inspectors on Aug. 28, 2017.