Robbery Suspects Arrested in Fall River

FALL RIVER (WBSM) — Fall River Police arrested three people recently in connection with an armed robbery.

According to a police Facebook post, the investigation was coordinated by the Community Action and Suppression Team (C.A.S.T.) and the Major Crimes Division. Police said “their dedication, persistence, and countless hours of investigative work paid off.”

How Police Identified the Robbery Suspects

Officers responded to an armed robbery on Franklin Street on July 17, with a suspect reportedly displaying a firearm. Officers requested to utilized surveillance footage from the nearby Belmont Club and determined three people were involved before sharing surveillance images from the club with the rest of the department.

That led police to identify the suspects as three Fall River residents: Aaren Howard, 36, Adilson Moreno, 23, and Ariana Santos, 31. Moreno also had active arrest warrants and was wanted by Massachusetts State Parole.

Police said that while Major Crimes was investigating the armed robbery, C.A.S.T. detectives were conducting a narcotics investigation involving Howard. A search warrant was obtained for a residence on Rodman Street where all three suspects were believed to be staying.

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Search Warrant Leads Detectives to Gun and Drugs

On Friday, July 24, detectives executed the warrant and found Howard, Moreno, and Santos all inside the residence. Detectives also found a Ruger SR9C 9mm handgun, a 17-round magazine loaded with 14 rounds, approximately 50.13 grams of fentanyl, and clothing believed to have been worn during the robbery. It was also determined that the gun found in the apartment matched the description of the one used in the robbery.

Charges Filed Against the Three Suspects

Howard was arrested and charged with trafficking fentanyl 36 grams or more, possession of a firearm without an LTC/FID, possession of ammo without an FID, possession of a large-capacity firearm, possession of a large capacity firearm during the commission of a felony, improper storage of a firearm, receiving stolen property, and armed robbery.

Moreno was charged with possession of a firearm without an LTC/FID, possession of ammunition without an FID, possession of a large capacity firearm, possession of a large capacity firearm during the commission of a felony, improper storage of a firearm, receiving stolen property, and armed robbery.

Santos was charged with armed robbery.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this story reported that the armed robbery had happened at the Belmont Club, as had been reported by Fall River Police. Club management confirmed with WBSM that the robbery happened nearby and officers responded to the club in order to utilize surveillance footage to assist in the case.