Marcio Alexandro Martinez-Lara Guilty Plea
Dominican National Convicted Multiple Times for Drug Trafficking Admits to Trafficking Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine and Meth; Being an Armed Career Criminal
PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national convicted and incarcerated multiple times on federal and state drug trafficking charges today admitted in federal court to being an armed career criminal while trafficking fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch and Albert P. Angelucci, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New England Field Division.
A 10-month Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Marcio Alexandro Martinez-Lara, 45, of Providence, included numerous controlled purchases of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine from Martinez-Lara. On July 19, 2017, members of the DEA Drug Task Force, with the assistance of the Woonsocket, Cranston and Providence Police Departments, executed court-authorized search warrants at Martinez-Lara’s residence and business in Providence, a drug stash house he operated in Cranston, and two vehicles in his control.
During the searches law enforcement seized more than 1,182 grams of fentanyl, 1,148 grams of heroin, 106 grams of methamphetamine, 28 grams of cocaine and a loaded firearm. As members of law enforcement were preparing to execute the search warrants, agents and officers encountered and detained Martinez-Lara outside his stash house in Cranston. They seized 100 grams of fentanyl found concealed inside Martinez-Lara’s underwear.
According to court records, in October 1997, Martinez-Lara was convicted in U.S. District Court on cocaine trafficking charges and subsequently sentenced to 121 months in federal prison and 5 years supervised release; in April 1998, Martinez-Lara was convicted in Rhode Island state court on delivery of schedule I/II controlled substances and conspiracy charges and sentenced to 10 years in state prison – 18 months to serve with 102 months suspended with probation; in September 2012, Martinez-Lara was convicted in Rhode Island state court on delivery of schedule I/II controlled substances and obstruction of a police officer and sentenced to 5 years in state prison – 12 months to serve with 48 months suspended with probation.
On June 9, 2016, Martinez-Lara was arrested by Providence Police and released on bail on a charge of delivery of heroin. He was awaiting trial at the time of his arrest in this investigation by members of the DEA Drug Task Force.
At the time of his arrest, Martinez-Lara identified himself to law enforcement as being Sandro Martinez. Law enforcement has since determined that his actual name is Marcio Alexandro Martinez-Lara.
Martinez-Lara, who has been detained in federal custody since his arrest on July 19, 2017, is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith on September 20, 2017.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan.
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