City man, 28, will serve 3 years in federal prison for cocaine trafficking

PROVIDENCE — A Woonsocket man was sentenced to over 3 years in federal prison by a U.S. District Court judge on Tuesday for charges stemming from alleged crack cocaine trafficking in 2019 and 2020.

Sean Breton, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 41 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised federal release, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Richard B. Myrus’ office.

According to court documents, beginning in March 2019 and during an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Breton and others, members of law enforcement observed numerous drug transactions, including seven sales of crack cocaine by Breton. Breton pleaded guilty on Nov. 8, 2019 to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base as a result of the investigation, according to Myrus’ office.

Subsequently, in June 2020, while awaiting sentencing on his conviction in federal court, Breton was arrested by Woonsocket Police on drug trafficking, fireworks and firearm charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

At the time of his arrest, law enforcement seized from Breton’s residence 10 grams of crack cocaine, more than $22,000 in cash, gold jewelry, and two BB guns – one realistically resembling an M4 military weapon, the other a pistol. On Aug. 19, 2020, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Breton with possession of cocaine base. He pled guilty on March 4, 2021, as charged in the indictment, according to Myrus.

The Acting U.S. Attorney, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta, and Woonsocket Police Chief Thomas Oates announced Breton’s federal sentence.

The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Sandra R. Hebert.