New Bedford Man Sentenced to 3.5 Years for Trafficking Crack Cocaine in RI

New Bedford Man Sentenced to 3.5 Years for Trafficking Crack Cocaine in RI

A New Bedford man who admitted to participating in the delivery of more than an ounce of crack cocaine in Rhode Island in February 2018 was sentenced on Thursday to 42 months in federal prison.

According to the U.S. Attorney, Chanel Williams, 41, previously admitted to the court that, following Facebook communications with an individual in Pawtucket seeking crack cocaine, he and another New Bedford man traveled to Pawtucket on February 13, 2018, to deliver the drugs. Williams admitted to the court that he remained inside the vehicle he drove to Pawtucket while Jordan Fernandes, 30, went inside a residence to deliver the drugs.

The delivery was electronically monitored by members of the FBI’s Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force and Providence Police.

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Williams pleaded guilty on December 4, 2019, to possession with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine base. At sentencing on Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith sentenced Williams to 42 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Jordan Fernandes, who pleaded guilty on February 3, 2020, to two counts of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, three counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, is awaiting sentencing.