WPRI.com

Providence DPW worker accused of dealing drugs placed on leave

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The Providence Department of Public Works (DPW) employee arrested last week for reportedly dealing drugs while on the job was caught red-handed by detectives, according to court documents.

Christopher Anderson, 23, has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of an upcoming termination hearing.

The investigation began when a Fall River officer alerted the Providence Police Department to a tip he’d received regarding a drug deal that was expected to happen in Rhode Island.

Court documents reveal that both Fall River and Providence police followed a car with two suspects inside believed to be involved in this supposed drug deal to the DPW parking lot off Allens Avenue.

That’s when Anderson reportedly left the building, grabbed something from his car and got into the vehicle with the suspects, later identified by police as Jason Almedia and Shannon Sargood-Rittenhouse.

The officers, according to court documents, witnessed a “hand-to-hand” transaction inside the car before Anderson was seen getting out of the vehicle and walking back towards the DPW building.

Court documents state that the entire interaction lasted less than a minute.

The officers then followed the suspects’ car back to Fall River, where it was stopped and searched.

The search yielded 1,176 blue glassine bags of suspected fentanyl. Both suspects quickly admitted that they had just purchased the drugs in Providence from Anderson, according to court documents.

Almedia and Sargood-Rittenhouse were arrested and charged with trafficking over 10 grams of fentanyl. Anderson was taken into custody a few days after the transaction and charged with unlawfully delivering fentanyl.

Anderson was arraigned and released on $50,000 surety bail pending his next scheduled court date.

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza described Anderson’s actions as “ridiculous” and said the city will be firing him.

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