PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A Rhode Island man who pleaded guilty to his role in a cross country drug pipeline that moved heroin and cocaine from California to Rhode Island and Massachusetts has been sentenced to five years in prison, federal prosecutors said.
Shawn Silva, 38, of Providence, pleaded guilty in November in a California court to conspiracy to possess more than one kilogram of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, federal prosecutors in Rhode Island said in a statement Wednesday.
Between May 2017 and August 2019, Silva routinely traveled to communities in the greater Providence and southeastern Massachusetts areas to retrieve parcels that contained large quantities of heroin and cocaine shipped to commercial mail receiving agencies, prosecutors said.
In all, more than 200 packages were shipped cross country, authorities said.
Several other people involved in the plan have pleaded guilty, while some alleged participants are awaiting trial, prosecutors said.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.