James Gomes Guilty Plea

ACI INMATE ADMITS TO RUNNING CRACK COCAINE DISTRIBUTION CONSPIRACY

PROVIDENCE, RI – An inmate at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) admitted in federal court today that on multiple occasions, while incarcerated at the ACI, he arranged for the sale and delivery of crack cocaine to individuals outside of the state prison.

James Gomes, 30, admitted to the Court that on several occasions in 2018, fellow inmates provided Gomes with prospective buyers and their contact information. Gomes admitted that he often passed the information through his mother, Lisa Ellis, 51, of Pawtucket, to two individuals, Joshua Moore, 19, formerly of Pawtucket, and Gerald Price, 34, of Cranston, who allegedly delivered crack cocaine to Gomes’ customers.

According to information presented to the Court, a Project Safe Neighborhoods Investigation by the Rhode Island Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Task Force determined that, using his prison call account and the accounts of others, Gomes frequently called his mother, Lisa Ellis, and would direct her to establish conference calls with Moore and Price. During the conference calls, Gomes admitted, he would direct Ellis, Moore and/or Price to sell crack cocaine to others. Ellis allegedly kept a small portion of the proceeds from the sales for herself and deposited the rest of the money into Gomes’ ACI prison account.

Appearing today before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Gomes pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and three counts of distribution of cocaine base, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Kelly D. Brady.

Gomes is scheduled to be sentenced on January 20, 2020.

Joshua Moore pleaded guilty on September 4, 2019, to conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and three counts of distribution of cocaine base. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 20, 2019; Lisa Ellis is awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and four counts of distribution of cocaine base; Gerald Price is awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and distribution of cocaine base.

An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Project Safe Neighborhoods is a federal, state and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.

The ATF Task Force is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, Providence Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Cranston Police Department, Rhode Island State Police, and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.