DARTMOUTH — A New Bedford man is facing multiple drug trafficking charges after investigators say he attempted to smuggle cocaine into the Bristol County Jail by turning himself in on active warrants.
According to the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) launched an investigation last month into reports that a former inmate planned to surrender to authorities in order to bring drugs into the jail and sell them for profit.
Investigators identified the suspect as 28-year-old Raymond Molina-Caraballo of New Bedford, as the former inmate who was behind the scheme. On August 25, investigators learned that Molina-Caraballo had appeared in New Bedford District Court on his outstanding warrants, where a judge ordered him held and transferred to the Dartmouth Jail.
The sheriff’s office said that upon his arrival at the jail, transportation and booking staff conducted a thorough search and discovered more than 11 grams of suspected crack cocaine and nearly 26 grams of suspected powdered cocaine hidden on him.
Raymond Molina-Caraballo was charged with:
- Trafficking a Class B Substance
- Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class B Substance
- Delivering Drugs or Articles to a Prisoner
He was arraigned in New Bedford District Court on September 26 and is currently being held at the Bristol County Jail in Dartmouth.
Sheriff Paul Heroux said contraband poses a significant danger to correctional facilities nationwide.
“People introducing contraband into the jail, including drugs, do not appreciate or care about the disruption and at times harm that contraband causes,” Heroux said. “Contraband is a challenge common to all correctional facilities in the country, it threatens the safety of staff and inmates.”
Sergeant Christopher Vaz served as the lead investigator on the case.
