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« Photo: Recognizing how Kids Count | Today | Silva won't take DMV chief's post after all » April 7, 2008Police seize 43 pounds of pot, machine gun in JohnstonJOHNSTON — A four-month undercover police investigation brought Providence and Johnston police detectives to a Morgan Avenue home where they found more than 43 pounds of marijuana, cocaine and an automatic machine gun loaded with 17 rounds, the police said today. “This is quite unique,” said Johnston Police Chief Richard S. Tamburini. “You don’t get guns like that. It was in the hands of a drug dealer.” “If someone decided to use that machine gun against us, we were absolutely outgunned at the scene,” Tamburini added. A key figure in the multi-jurisdictional probe, Christopher J. Guillemette, was not at 119B Morgan Ave. when the team of police officers arrived at the house early Friday evening, and he remained at large today, said Johnston Deputy Police Gary W. Maddocks Jr. At the time, Guillemette’s live-in girlfriend, 22-year-old Elisha Asselin, was trying to get into a car in the driveway, Maddocks said. The police saw her handling a plastic bag with $5,000 cash inside, he said. A search of the house turned up three scales and other signs of narcotics trafficking, Maddocks said. Then, Johnston’s search dog, Cargo, a German shepherd, sniffed narcotics in a storage container toward the front of the property. The police recovered large blocks of marijuana and a clear plastic bag holding 39 grams of cocaine, Maddocks said. They found the machine gun in a bag. It was loaded with a 17-round magazine. The gun, a 9mm, appears to be a version of the British Sten gun, an illegal submachine gun, Maddocks said. Correction: A previous version of this item misspelled Guillemette. -- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds Asselin was charged with manufacturing, possession and delivery of marijuana, manufacturing, possession and delivery of cocaine, controlled substance conspiracy, carrying dangerous weapons and other violations. She was held without bail over the weekend at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston, pending her arraignment today in District Court. Guillemette has already been convicted of various cocaine and marijuana offenses. In 2000, he received a 15-year suspended prison sentence with 2½ years to serve, according to the search warrant application. In 2004, he was caught with cocaine during another raid in North Providence, according to Providence Police Lt. Tom Verdi. He was sentenced again and served another term at the Adult Correctional Institution and then in home confinement prior to his release in March of 2007. Providence and Johnston undercover detectives worked together on the case since late December, and the Morgan Avenue house had been under surveillance, said Tamburini, who emphasized that Providence police deserve credit for an “impressive investigation.” Posted by Brandie Jefferson Commentspaul | April 7, 2008 4:06 PM link Kudos to the Providence and Johnston Police Departments! Good luck apprehending your wanted suspect. Be safe in all you do. Ernie | April 7, 2008 4:14 PM link Why wasn't she charged with a possesion of a "machine gun" they are illegal in R.I and heavily regulated by the federal government for civilian ownership. george | April 7, 2008 11:22 PM link You're kidding -- really? A machine gun in Johnston? (Pffft.) Just chum feeding | April 8, 2008 8:52 AM 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
Technically, although marijuana and cocaine are drugs, illegal drugs, they are not narcotics. Narcotics, I believe, is restricted to opiates and derivatives.