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« Big Dig's Lewis on the road to Rhode Island DOT | Today | Local educators to education chief: Change reform law » February 15, 2008Providence drug ringleader gets 14 years in prisonJoanna Gonzalez, a 28-year-old mother of three who owned a Porsche and other vehicles while collecting welfare -- and heading up a large Providence drug ring -- has been sentenced to 14 years in prison. Another 14 years of the 28-year sentence imposed Monday by Judge Susan E. McGuirl will be suspended with probation, Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office announced this evening. Gonzalez, of 49 Anchor St., Providence, waived indictment on Sept. 12, 2007, and pleaded no contest in October to the four counts before Judge McGuirl. She is now serving her sentence at the ACI, where she has been held without bail since her arrest last July. Gonzalez was arrrested as part of "Operation Rosa," in which 29 people have been charged with various drug offenses. Ten search warrants were carried out and more than 20,000 telephone calls intercepted during 74 days of monitoring, the attorney general's office said. More than $60,000 in cash was seized, as were five cars/SUVs and three motorcycles -- $300,000 worth of vehicles all told. The police have said Gonzalez bought a $45,000 Porsche, a Nissan Maxima, and paid $4,000 cash for a motorcycle, all registered in her name. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports If the case had gone to trial, prosecutor James Dube would have offered evidence that Gonzalez led one of the city's biggest drug operations. "Her drug distribution empire employed dozens of people including her mother, sister, boyfriend, and children. The organization had an enforcer, banker, manager, and distributors," Lynch's news release said. “Gonzalez led a criminal family operation that supplied many in Providence and surrounding areas with illegal drugs, and used the criminal enterprise to fuel a lavish lifestyle,” Lynch said in the statement. “With the illicit drug ring destroyed and its leader and other members at the ACI, that lifestyle is now but a memory and our streets are safer, as a result.” Posted by Mike McKinney CommentsTruthseeker | February 15, 2008 6:33 PM link With all of her employees, it sounds like she should have had a 'communications director' to make sure that the right people were paid off. Face it, the streets are no safer because one low-life got sent up the river. The drug users will just find another dealer, and the money will just go into other pockets of people who WILL pay off the right people. Follow the money | February 15, 2008 6:35 PM link You got that right follow the money. she would still be getting away with it if she was smart enough to pay off the right people and not buy things in her name, or other family members names. Cranston eye | February 17, 2008 9:31 PM link Post a commentPlease be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish. |
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ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006
Good,
Deport her after her sentence.