Rhode Island State Police Arrests Two Suspects for Possession of Heroin with Intent to Deliver
RI – Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Commissioner of Public Safety, announces that at 2:30pm on March 14, 2014, a member of the Lincoln Barracks conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that was speeding on Route 195 East in the City of East Providence. The occupants were extremely nervous and had conflicting stories of where they had been prior to the stop. A member of the State Police K-9 Unit also out of the Lincoln Barracks responded to the scene.
During an exterior scan of the vehicle, the K-9 showed a positive indication alerting to the odor of narcotics. The K-9 then conducted an interior scan where it again showed a positive indication alerting to the odor of narcotics in the area of the passenger side front seat. During a search of that area, troopers located and seized 200 packets of suspected heroin.
The operator is identified as Gary Couto, age 35, of 3200 County Street, Somerset, Massachusetts. The passenger was identified as Steven M. Bush, age 37, of 297 William Street 3rd Floor, Fall River, Massachusetts. Both suspects were taken into custody and transported to the Lincoln Barracks and charged with the following:
- Possession of Heroin with Intent to Deliver
- Conspiracy to Violate Controlled Substance Act
Once at the Lincoln barracks it was also revealed that Bush had a Second District
Court Warrant for Failure to Appear for a Cost Review on a Delivery of Controlled Substance Charge originating from the Portsmouth Police Department. Both suspects were held at the Lincoln Barracks pending a morning arraignment.
«We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who sell heroin in our community. This is another piece of the multi-pronged approach in addressing the heroin that has caused the death of dozen of Rhode Islanders so far this year,» stated Colonel O’Donnell.