Three Arrested as New Bedford Police Watch Drug Deal

NEW BEDFORD — Three people were arrested earlier this week after New Bedford Police officers witnessed an alleged drug deal.

Narcotics Detectives witnessed the alleged drug transaction on Tuesday in New Bedford's North End.

After observing the deal, police pulled over one of the suspected buyers, Joshua Rebello, 37, of 4 Springhill Street, Fairhaven, and found a small amount of fentanyl in his possession. Rebello was arrested and charged with possession of a Class A drug and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

A second alleged buyer, Sharon Rivet, 53, of 213 Walnut Plain Road, Rochester, was stopped by police. Officers say they found 30 tabs each of morphine and hydrocodone in her possession. Rivet was arrested and faces charges of possession of a Class B drug, possession of a Class C drug, and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Police later obtained a search warrant for the suspected dealer, Santos Ortega, 43, of 95 Beetle Street, Apt. 1, New Bedford, and stopped his vehicle Tuesday night. A search of the vehicle and his person uncovered over six grams of fentanyl, 20 tabs of hydrocodone, 20 tabs of morphine, four Xanax tabs, four methadone tabs, and $1,471 in cash. Ortega was arrested and charged with distribution of a Class A drug distribution of a Class B drug, distribution of a Class C drug, conspiracy to violate drug laws (two counts), possession with intent to distribute a Class A drug (two counts), possession with intent to distribute a Class B drug, possession with intent to distribute a Class C drug, possession of a Class E drug, and possession of a Class B drug.