Police Log

Posted 4/9/15

The Police Log is a digest of reports filed by the Warwick Police Department.

NARCOTICS

Officer Aaron Steere was on routine patrol in the area of the Motel 6, Jefferson Blvd., on March 6 …

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Police Log

Posted

The Police Log is a digest of reports filed by the Warwick Police Department.

NARCOTICS

Officer Aaron Steere was on routine patrol in the area of the Motel 6, Jefferson Blvd., on March 6 when he was contacted by Narcotics and advised by detectives they believed a narcotics transaction took place when they observed a suspicious vehicle with a New Jersey license plate with two occupants, one of which was seen wearing a black jacket and green camouflage pants leaving the motel carrying what appeared to be a plastic shopping bag containing at least one shoe box and wanted the vehicle stopped for investigative purposes.

Steere said he pulled behind the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop in front of the Mobil Gas station after it made a right turn on Jefferson Blvd. He said he approached the passenger side and spoke with the passenger, later identified as Mike A. Gamez, 23, of 21 Primrose St., Providence, and the operator, later identified as Ivan J. Camacho, 24, of 36 Erastus St., Providence, and advised them he received a report that their vehicle was possibly involved in a suspicious situation at Motel 6. Steere said he asked the men where they were coming from and where they were headed, and Camacho said they were headed to downtown Providence. When asked if they were staying at the motel, Camacho said they went to the motel to visit several friends. Steere said he asked the men if they lived locally, due to the fact they had a New Jersey license plate, and Gamez said he had rented the vehicle because he was recently in an accident and his vehicle was in the shop being repaired. Steere said while talking with the men, he detected an overwhelming odor of air freshener emanating from the interior of the vehicle.

Steere said he returned to his vehicle and ran checks on the men, which came back with two previous Possessions With Intent to Deliver charges for Gamez on his R.I. criminal history in 2009 and 2012. Steere then asked Camacho to step out of the vehicle so he could speak with him by his patrol car, out of earshot of Gamez. Steere said a quick pat down revealed four cell phones on Camacho’s person. Steere asked Camacho who the men were visiting at the motel and he said they were there to meet some girls they had met on Backpage, a website commonly used for the purpose of prostitution and human trafficking, but things did not work out and they were just leaving. When asked if he or Gamez had entered the motel, Camacho said they hadn’t. At this time, Steere said Camacho was left in the custody of other officers that arrived to assist on scene while he questioned Gamez.

When Gamez exited the vehicle, Steere said he was wearing a black jacket and green camouflage pants. A pat down revealed a can of pepper foam, approximately 2 oz. of marijuana, two cell phones and a large quantity of U.S. currency folded in half. When asked how much money he had, Gamez said he believed it was close to $1,000 and he planned to use it to go out in Providence. When asked who they were meeting at the motel, Gamez said they were meeting up with two female friends of his. When asked how he knows Camacho, Gamez said he knew him for short period of time. When asked to elaborate, Gamez was unable to answer before saying he actually has known Camacho for a long period of time as someone from the neighborhood. Steere said he asked Gamez if either of the men exited the vehicle and entered the motel, to which Gamez said he went in inside and met with female subjects but that things didn’t work out so he returned to the vehicle to go to downtown Providence. When asked if he took anything in or out of the motel, Gamez said he hadn’t. 

Based on a number of criminal indicators and his 17 years of law enforcement experience, Steere said he believed Gamez and Camacho were being untruthful and were currently involved in criminal activity, which he believed to be involvement in the sales or purchase of narcotics. Although Gamez refused to sign a Consent To Search form, Steere said Gamez told him he was free to search the vehicle because he had nothing to hide. Upon searching the vehicle, Steere said he found shopping bags containing a shoe box and when opened appeared to contain a pair of new boat shoes. Upon observing the shoes out of the box, Steere said it was apparent that one of the insoles was elevated higher than the other and upon further inspection, he lifted the elevated insole and observed what appeared to be a vacuum-sealed plastic bag containing a white substance, which he believed to be heroin or cocaine, with duct tape around it. Steere said the baggie was molded to the shape of the interior of the shoe into the outline of the insole, which was glued to the bottom of the shoe. At this time, both Gamez and Camacho were placed in handcuffs but Steere said he advised them they were only being detained for a narcotics search and that they were not yet under arrest. Steere said he then validated his suspicions of narcotics through the positive indication of his canine partner, Viking. Steere said the suspected narcotics also later field tested positive for cocaine.

Steere said he then advised both suspects they were under arrest for possession of cocaine and they were transported to Warwick Police Department Headquarters by separate officers. Upon arrival at headquarters, the shoe containing the suspected hidden narcotics was cut open and the narcotics removed. Steere said it was determined there were two bags, one believed to be crack cocaine and the other believed to be powder cocaine, which together weighed 8.2 oz. with a street value of approximately $18,000. Steere said both were field tested again at headquarters and both yielded positive results for cocaine. Steere said Gamez was found to be in possession of $1,544 in U.S. currency, as well as approximately 2 grams of marijuana, and that he currently has a medical marijuana card issued through the Department of Health.

Steere said Mike Gamez and Ivan Camacho were each charged with Manufacture, Possession, Delivery of Scheduled II, as well as Controlled Substance Conspiracy and held for the next session of District Court. He said the can of pepper foam and the marijuana were held for safekeeping and the suspected narcotics and paraphernalia were photographed and packaged for evidence by detectives.

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  • davebarry109

    Good Job Aaron.

    Friday, April 10, 2015 Report this