Fall River Detectives Nab Suspect on Top Ten Most Wanted List
FALL RIVER — A suspect on the Fall River Police Department’s Top Ten Most Wanted list has been apprehended by authorities.
Fall River Police say that on Friday at about 5:30 p.m., Detectives of the Department’s Vice and Intelligence Unit were in the area of 135 Haffards Street performing surveillance before executing a search warrant. The target of the search warrant was 28-year-old Stephen Arpa, of 782 Rock Street in Fall River. Arpa was featured on the Department’s Top Ten Most Wanted list.
During surveillance, Detective Richard Aguiar observed Arpa walk onto Haffards Street and notified detectives, who were seated in their vehicles. As Detectives exited their vehicles with their badges displayed, Arpa fled on foot. Detective Kwin Silva was able to catch, tackle and take Arpa into custody.
While running, Arpa threw a bundle to ground. Detective Joshua Robillard recovered the bundle, which upon closer examination, was found to holding suspected Heroin. During a search of Arpa, detectives seized eight plastic bags of suspected Heroin totaling 86.3 grams, four plastic bags of suspected Fentanyl totaling 64.1 grams, 49 glassine bags of suspected Fentanyl, 243 glassine bags of suspected Heroin, 27 Zubsolv pills, cash, two cell phones, and three gift cards.
Detectives went to the apartment and executed the search warrant and located a scale, Inositol (used as a cutting agent), a large amount of empty glassine bags, elastics, six gift cards, and a grinder.
Arpa was placed under arrest and charged with Trafficking Heroin, Morphine and Opium; and a charge of Possession to Distribute a Class B Substance.
The Top Ten warrant was also served on Arpa for Trafficking in 200 grams or more of heroin, morphine, and opium.
Detectives Heather Moniz, Gary Barboza, Paul McGuire, Bryan Custadio, Matthew Gauvin, and Detective Sergeant Thomas Mauretti also assisted in the investigation.