Martha's Vineyard man nabbed in Providence heroin deal
By Steve Myrick
Published: July 30, 2009
Robin Carberry, 24, of West Tisbury was arrested last week in Providence and charged with possession of heroin and intent to distribute heroin. Providence police say Mr. Carberry attracted attention when he showed up in an area of the city they had under surveillance because of suspected drug activity.
Also arrested on July 20 were Jonathan Lopez-Franqui, 24, of Franklin, and Hector Rivera, 29, of Boston.
According to the police report, Mr. Carberry pulled into the parking lot of a fast food restaurant and parked directly beside the undercover vehicle police were using as a surveillance base. Police said Mr. Carberry later made contact with Mr. Lopez-Franqui and Mr. Rivera, who were in another vehicle. All of the suspects then drove a circuitous route to a parking lot at the Roger Williams Zoo. The report said that a narcotics officer "observed Rivera hand a large object suspected to be narcotics wrapped in tin foil to Carberry, and in return Carberry handed Rivera a large white and orange rectangular object." Police later determined the tin foil contained 170 grams of uncut heroin, while the orange object was $11,000 in cash wrapped in orange electrical tape. The police report noted that the transaction took place near children and adults playing in a nearby park.
Dealer to dealer
In a phone interview with The Times, a Providence police narcotics officer said Mr. Carberry was involved in what appears to be a "dealer-to-dealer" transaction. He said the heroin was packaged in 17 small cylinders, known in the drug world as "knuckles." The cylinders are commonly swallowed by drug dealers, who then transport them into the United States.
Pure heroin is commonly "cut" or diluted with a mixing agent to produce three times the original amount for street sale. According to narcotics investigators here on the Island, the amount of drugs seized by Providence police would sell for approximately $75,000 to $100,000 on Martha's Vineyard.
Court report
Mr. Carberry has a criminal history on Martha's Vineyard, and he is well known to local police officers.
Last November, he was questioned during a Martha's Vineyard Drug Task Force raid on the Vineyard Haven home of Kenneth Garde. Six people, including three of Mr. Garde's adult children, were arrested during that raid. They all face trial on drug charges this fall. Police seized a total of 133 grams of heroin and $45,621 in cash from all the defendants as they made the arrests. Police said Mr. Carberry arrived at the home after police began the raid. He was searched and discovered to be in possession of hypodermic syringes, but no drugs. Possession of hypodermic syringes is no longer an arrestable offense, according to police
In 2003, Mr. Carberry was arrested and charged with possession of a Class E drug (Percocet), and with receiving stolen property. His arrest came as police searched two Island homes, looking for suspects and evidence in the robbery of $20,000 from the Airport Mobile gas station.
