A North Providence man has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for selling fentanyl-laced pills and a firearm while under surveillance. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Keurys Pena, 35, received his sentence from U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on Tuesday. He will serve 72 months of incarceration followed by four years of federal supervised release. Pena had pleaded guilty on August 1, 2024, to charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime.
Court documents revealed that between June and October 2022, Pena sold and delivered over seven thousand fentanyl-laced pills weighing approximately two pounds during eight transactions under law enforcement surveillance. On September 7, 2022, he also sold a firearm in exchange for cash. Law enforcement quickly seized the drugs and firearm following each transaction.
Pena was arrested at his residence on October 18, 2022. Authorities found him in possession of cocaine, fentanyl powder mixture, and methamphetamine. A search warrant executed at a property maintained by Pena in Pawtucket led to the seizure of additional substances containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Records show that Pena had previous convictions related to drugs, conspiracy, forgery, and breaking and entering charges. At the time of his latest arrest, he was serving Rhode Island state probation after being convicted in Rhode Island Superior Court in 2015 for assault and escape by an inmate.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey A. Erickson prosecuted this Project Safe Neighborhoods case in U.S. District Court.
The investigation was conducted by the Rhode Island FBI Safe Streets Task Force along with the Pawtucket Police Department. The task force includes agents from various local police departments as well as the U.S. Marshals Service.
Project Safe Neighborhoods aims to reduce violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities they serve.