PROVIDENCE, R.I. -Rolando A. Rojas, 34, of Providence, was sentenced today to 175 months in federal prison for trafficking crack cocaine. Rojas, a career criminal who was previously convicted on drug trafficking, firearms, felony assault and robbery charges, was convicted by a federal court jury on July 18, 2012, with selling crack cocaine on three occasions to an undercover federal agent.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell also ordered Rojas to serve eight years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Rojas’ sentenced was announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Eugenio A. Marquez, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Boston Field Office.
At trial, the government presented evidence that Rojas sold an undercover ATF agent nearly 28 grams of crack cocaine on Jan. 10, 2011; two ounces of crack cocaine on Feb. 17, 2011; and approximately four ounces of crack cocaine on March 1, 2011. All of the transactions were electronically recorded. The jury convicted Rojas on one count of distribution of cocaine base and two counts of distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base.
Rojas is awaiting trial in state court on a charge of murder in connection with the October 2010 alleged murder of Alfredo Barros, 20, of Pawtucket. Barros was allegedly shot and killed while he sat in a vehicle stopped at a red light.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard W. Rose.
Providence, Central Falls and Pawtucket Police assisted ATF in the investigation of this matter.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
