Providence Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking & Illegal Gun Possession

Providence Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking & Illegal Gun Possession

A Providence man pled guilty to drug trafficking and gun charges on Tuesday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Aaron Weisman.

Scott Arnum, 30, pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 6, 2019.

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The Incident

On Tuesday, Arnum was pulled over by Pawtucket Police after he stopped short of pulling out in front of a police cruiser while failing to use a turn signal.

According to court documents, as the officer approached the car she smelled a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle and observed the driver making rapid movements.

Arnum complied with the officer’s request to exit the car.

Once out of the car, officers discovered a large bag of marijuana and six bags of crack cocaine inside Arnum’s clothing.

A seventh bag fell out of Arnum’s underwear after he was transported to the police station.

An inventory of Arnum’s car resulted in the seizure of a loaded 9mm pistol and two loaded 9mm magazines from inside the car’s glovebox.

Previous Conviction

According to court records, Arnum was previously convicted in federal court for possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In December 2010, Arnum was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.