William Mendez, 51, has been sentenced to fourteen years in federal prison for leading a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy. The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Mendez was involved in trafficking kilogram quantities of powder cocaine and various amounts of crack cocaine and fentanyl shortly after being released from state prison for previous drug offenses.
U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Mendez to 168 months of incarceration followed by five years of supervised release. In October 2024, Mendez pled guilty to charges related to the distribution and possession with intent to distribute significant quantities of cocaine and fentanyl.
The investigation into Mendez’s activities began in September 2021 when he and over a dozen others were charged in connection with the conspiracy. Many defendants had prior convictions for violent crimes such as robbery and assault.
Prior to his arrest, Mendez had served over twenty-two years in prison for serious felony drug convictions and violent felony assault convictions. At the time of his arrest, he was on state probation after completing nearly seven years in Rhode Island state prison.
The FBI Safe Street Task Force, DEA, and Providence Police Narcotics Bureau led the investigation targeting multiple levels of drug dealing across several communities.
Several co-defendants have also been sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy:
– Ramon Barriera received 70 months.
– Rafael Cruz was sentenced to time served.
– Nelson Hazin received time served.
– Ricardo Martinez Jr. received 78 months.
– Jonathan Masa-Gonzalez received 60 months.
– Juan Betancourt Sosa received 70 months.
– Victor Yandel Aponte-Cirano received time served.
– Keven Restrepo received 77 months.
– Juan Gonzalez received 72 months.
– Charles Sims was sentenced to time served.
Others are awaiting sentencing or trial.
Approximately $78,000 in drug proceeds were seized from Mendez during his arrest. The cases are prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey A. Erickson and Taylor A. Dean with assistance from Christine D. Lowell and Sandra R. Hebert.
Acting United States Attorney Bloom acknowledged the contributions of various law enforcement agencies including the FBI, DEA, Providence Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Marshals Service, Rhode Island State Police, and several local police departments for their roles in the investigation and arrests.
