New Bedford Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Up to 10 Years

FALL RIVER (WBSM) — A New Bedford man has been sentenced to up to a decade in prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges.

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced that Marcus Depina, 37, was sentenced in Fall River Superior Court on January 2 to serve eight to 10 years in state prison, followed by one year of probation, after pleading guilty in two separate drug trafficking cases and failing to appear for court.

Initial Traffic Stop Sparks Drug Investigation

The charges date back to May 2023, when New Bedford Police observed Depina enter the passenger side of a vehicle under surveillance. Police attempted to pull the vehicle over for a motor vehicle infraction. The driver then fled the scene.

As police chased the vehicle, Depina jumped from the passenger side of the vehicle and then threw some items in a nearby bush. He was apprehended by police and taken into custody, and police found three bags of cocaine in the bushes that weighed about 323 grams.

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Probation Violation Leads to Jail Time

At the time of the offense, Depina was on probation for vandalizing property. Because he violated his probation, Depina was sentenced to serve nine months in the Bristol County House of Correction. After serving his sentence, he posted the $20,000 bail on the drug trafficking case and was released with a GPS monitoring bracelet.

Second Drug Arrest While on Bail

On March 1, 2024, while still out on bail and wearing the GPS bracelet, Depina was the subject of a search warrant by New Bedford Police at 431 Mill Street, Apartment 1. Police found a bag of crack cocaine weighing about 24 grams, and a bag of fentanyl weighing about one gram on Depina’s person. Inside the apartment, police found packaging materials, paperwork in Depina’s name and $852 in cash. He was arrested and then bailed out again. He then cut off his GPS bracelet and fled on March 4, 2024, the date he was set to be arraigned in New Bedford District Court. He was then located by police on March 12, 2024.

District Attorney Responds to Sentence

"After being released on bail for drug trafficking, the defendant was caught again selling drugs. Unfortunately, he was released before going to court and cut off his GPS bracelet and had to be apprehended a third time,” D.A. Quinn said. “The sentence imposed by the court is appropriate to protect the community from the defendant.”