Bristol County DA: ‘Operation Mouse Trap’ Quashed Fall River Fentanyl Network
Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III on Monday announced the conclusion of a four-month investigation into a large-scale fentanyl trafficking organization in the greater Fall River area.
The wiretap investigation, dubbed Operation Mouse Trap, was launched by the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the DA's office and the Fall River Police Department. On Friday law enforcement agents from Massachusetts and Rhode Island executed 11 search warrants, arrested 16 individuals, and seized large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine.
Eight of the 11 search warrants were executed in Fall River, two others were executed in Providence and a final search warrant was executed in Smithfield, Rhode Island. Agents seized about 850 grams of fentanyl, 56 grams of cocaine, about $19,000 in cash, an illegal firearm and various steroids and prescription pills.
The initial target was 41-year-old Fall River native Michael "Squeak" Rebello. His organization was labeled by investigators as the "Michael Rebello Drug Trafficking Organization," Quinn said. He said investigators "deemed it necessary" to begin intercepting phone calls and text messages from members of Rebello's network.
The court-authorized wiretap led investigators to Rebello’s alleged top drug runner, 33-year-old Fall River native Daniel Correira, and to Rebello's two main alleged suppliers, Adriny Bernard and Eladio Cabral, both of Rhode Island. While monitoring the communication of the suspected suppliers, investigators say they identified other fentanyl traffickers in the Fall River area.
Quinn said fentanyl is a deadly drug.
“The increase in the sale of fentanyl during the last five years has led to a significant increase in the number of fatal overdoes. Through the end of November this year there have been 194 fatal overdoses in Bristol County this year,” the DA said. “These types of investigations are critical to continue to put the pressure on drug dealers for pedaling death on our streets."
Quinn said it's the second wiretap investigation done this year with the support of the Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and her criminal bureau. Gina Kwan, who leads Healey's criminal division, also delivered remarks and praised interagency cooperation.
Agencies assisting included the Fall River Police Vice and Intelligence Unit, the Bristol County State Police Detective Unit, the Bristol County Sherriff's Office, the Dartmouth Police Department, the New Bedford Office of the Drug Enforcement Agency, and Massachusetts State Police assigned to Healey's office. Later, members of the Smithfield, East Providence, West Warwick and Providence police departments joined the effort.
The investigation was funded through a $2.6 million federal grant obtained by Healey’s office to expand efforts to combat the opioid crisis and build on the success of the Fentanyl Strike Force. The grant, awarded by the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Anti-Heroin Task Force, supports the ongoing work of the strike force, a multi-faceted partnership between local, state, and federal law enforcement created to aggressively combat the opioid crisis in New England.
“This operation demonstrates the impact of inter-agency collaboration,” said Healey in a statement. “Our Fentanyl Strike Force was set up to support the ongoing work to combat the opioid crisis, and I want to thank the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office and our partners law enforcement for working collaboratively with us to take down drug networks, bring traffickers to justice, and get millions of lethal doses of heroin and fentanyl off the streets.”
The Bristol County DA's office provided the following information about the arrests:
OPERATION MOUSE TRAP ARRESTS AND ARRAIGNMENT INFORMATION
All defendants were charged with conspiracy to violate the drug laws.
Defendant/DOB: Kris Ferreira, 9-28-1978
Address: 28 Russell Street, apt 2, Fall River
Additional charges: possess to distribute class B, possess class E (2x)
Bail status: $7,000 and detained on probation violation
Defendant/DOB: Andrea Biszko, 7-31-1985
Address: 4380 North Main st., apt 7A, Fall River
Additional charges: possess class E (2x)
Bail status: $5,000
Defendant/DOB: Frank Ladeira, 2-9-1955
Address: 1030 Dwelly St, apt 1, Fall River
Additional charges: possess to distribute class A
Bail status: $1,500
Defendant/DOB: Nolan Adkins, 11-6-1991
Address: 122 Cambridge St, apt 2, Fall River
Additional charges: trafficking Fentanyl over 18 grams, possess class C
Bail status: held without bail for a dangerousness hearing on 12-24-19
Defendant/DOB: Jamie Medeiros, 11-13-1988
Address: 719 Hick St. apt 2, Fall River
Additional charges: none
Bail status: $3,000
Defendant/DOB: Gerald Satanowski, 11-3-1980
Address: 81 Slab Bridge Road, Assonet
Additional charges: none
Bail status: Personal Recognizance but detained by probation
Defendant/DOB: Daniel Correira, 11-12-1986
Address: 228 Sunset Hill Fall River
Additional charges: none
Bail status: $10,000 and bail revoked on open case
Defendant/DOB: Michael Rebello, 10-30-1978
Address: 719 Hicks Street, apt. 2 Fall River
Additional charges: trafficking fentanyl over 10 grams, distribution of class A, subsequent
Bail status: held without bail for a dangerousness hearing on 1-3-20
Defendant/DOB: Sarah Medeiros, 11-13-1988
Address: 37 Hamlet St. apt 2, Fall River
Additional charges: trafficking fentanyl over 18 grams
Bail status: held without bail for a dangerousness hearing on 1-3-20
Defendant/DOB: Charles Belisle, 10-27-1978
Address: 61 Covel Street, Fall River
Additional charges: trafficking fentanyl over 18 grams
Bail status: held without bail for a dangerousness hearing on 1-3-20
Defendant/DOB: Robert Garafano, 17-27-1970
Address: 61 Covel St., Fall River
Additional charges: trafficking fentanyl over 18 grams
Bail status: held without bail for a dangerousness hearing on 1-3-20
Defendant/DOB: Michael Rebello, 10-30-1978
Address: 719 Hicks Street, apt. 2 Fall River
Additional charges: trafficking fentanyl over 10 grams, distribution of class A, subsequent
Bail status: held without bail for a dangerousness hearing on 1-3-20
Defendant/DOB: Louis Nunes, 12-26-1978
Address: Fall River
Additional charges: none
Bail status: in custody on other charges, He was arrested on other warrants a few weeks ago, not arraigned yet on conspiracy charge.
Arrested in Rhode Island:
Defendant/DOB: Adriny Bernard, 4-17-1987
Address: 18 Gladstone St, Smithfield, RI
Additional charges: Refer to RI AG’s Office
Bail status: held in Rhode Island
Defendant/DOB: Eladio Cabrera, 2-8-1987
Address: 24C Sunset ave, Providence, RI
Additional charges: Refer to RI AG’s Office
Bail status: held in Rhode Island
Defendant/DOB: Oscar Morales, 1-12-1996
Address: 105 Beauford St. Providence, RI
Additional charges: Refer to RI AG’s Office
Bail status: held in Rhode Island