Johnston man held on drug, weapons charges

Arrest made after search conducted as part of child porn probe

Daniel Kittredge
Posted 5/19/14

A Johnston man is facing drug and weapons charges after being arrested as part of a task force investigation into the distribution of child pornography over the Internet.

Vincent D’Errico, 54, …

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Johnston man held on drug, weapons charges

Arrest made after search conducted as part of child porn probe

Posted

A Johnston man is facing drug and weapons charges after being arrested as part of a task force investigation into the distribution of child pornography over the Internet.

Vincent D’Errico, 54, of 6 Fox Meadow Road, is charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of a firearm while committing a controlled substance violation and possession of a firearm while committing a crime of violence, according to Rhode Island State Police. He was arraigned in Third Division District Court and ordered held without bail at the ACI pending a bail review hearing scheduled for May 29.

Police say the arrest was made as a result of an undercover investigative operation initiated by members of the Internet Crimes Against Children, or ICAC, Task Force into the online sharing of images of child pornography.

During that operation, police say, the Internet connection at the Fox Meadow Road home was identified as having been used to download such images. A court-ordered search warrant was subsequently executed, resulting the seizure of digital media that is being forensically analyzed.

During the search, police say they found a “sophisticated indoor marijuana growing operation.” D’Errico identified himself as a medical marijuana patient cardholder “but was found to be in possession of amounts that exceed his medicinal allotment as well as numerous firearms,” according to police.

In addition to the digital media, police say they seized 25 mature marijuana plants, nine ounces of usable marijuana, a digital scale, marijuana packaging equipment, 15 assorted firearms – including three shotguns, 10 rifles and two shotguns – and $16,200 in cash from the home.

The State Police Computer Crimes Unit and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force were also involved in the operation, according to police.

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