Dominican man living in Woonsocket indicted on drug trafficking charges

PROVIDENCE – A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted a Dominican national living in Providence-who allegedly delivered fentanyl on at least four occasions and was arrested by Woonsocket Police as he left an alleged drug stash house in that city- on charges of trafficking fentanyl, aggravated identity theft, misusing a Social Security number, and health care fraud.

Joaquin Soto-Medina, aka P.C.R., 47, is also alleged to have adopted a stolen identity and used it to gain a Rhode Island driver’s license and Medicaid benefits, according to United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman.

Soto-Medina was arrested by members of the Woonsocket Police

Department on October 7, 2019, moments after he exited a residence in Woonsocket that a court-authorized search by Woonsocket Police Detectives allegedly revealed to be a drug stash house, according to Weisman. At the time of his arrest Soto-Medina allegedly was found carrying 18 plastic baggies containing fentanyl, according to Weisman.

Prior to the Woonsocket police search of the residence, it is alleged that on four occasions between August 28, 2019, and September 17, 2019, Soto-Medina delivered baggies containing one gram of fentanyl to another person.

According to court documents and information presented to the Court, a subsequent investigation by Homeland Security Investigations determined that in 2014, Soto-Medina allegedly used the stolen identity of an individual living in Puerto Rico, including that person’s Social Security number, to obtain a Rhode Island driver’s license. In 2016, he allegedly used the stolen identification when filing an application for and being approved to receive Medicaid health benefits, according to Weisman’s spokesman, Jim Martin.

The federal grand jury on Tuesday charged Joaquin Soto-Medina with two counts of false representation of a Social Security number, and one count each of aggravated identity theft, health care fraud, conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and aiding and abetting. The indictment was announced by Weisman, Woonsocket Police Chief Thomas Oates, and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina.

Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and aiding and abetting each are punishable by statutory penalties of a minimum mandatory 10 years up to life in federal prison and 5 years supervised release, according to Martin.

Health care fraud is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and 3 years supervised release. False representation of a Social Security number is punishable by 5 years imprisonment and 3 years supervised release. Aggravated identity theft is punishable by 2 years imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence imposed in this matter, according to Martin.

According to court documents, in 2001, Soto-Medina, a Dominican national, was found to be in the United States illegally. After being administratively charged with entering the United States without inspection, he voluntarily returned to the Dominican Republic, according to Weisman’s office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.