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Man sentenced for role in Massachusetts, Rhode Island drug trafficking organization after 21 kilos of cocaine, firearms, over $100,000 cash seized

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Man sentenced for role in Massachusetts, Rhode Island drug trafficking organization after 21 kilos of cocaine, firearms, over 0,000 cash seized


BOSTON – A Stoughton man was sentenced in federal court in Boston for his role in a drug trafficking organization that shipped dozens of parcels containing kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to various addresses throughout Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The defendant was also sentenced for his role in a bank and wire fraud scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 pandemic relief funds.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, 42-year-old Patrick Joseph was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 138 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In March 2024, Joseph pled guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and cocaine base, wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.

From February 2020 to May 2021, Joseph facilitated the transportation of 10-20 kilograms of cocaine from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, and eventually to Massachusetts via the U.S. Mail. The cocaine seized by investigators was found concealed in two-kilogram quantities inside air fryers and locking cash boxes before being sent through the U.S. Mail. The investigation led to the search of several drug stash locations and the seizure of dozens of kilograms of cocaine. 

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Joseph was arrested and charged along with eight others in May 2021. At the time of the arrests, various firearms, 21 kilograms of cocaine and over $100,000 cash were seized.

During the investigation it was learned that Joseph was involved in a scheme to defraud a COVID-19 pandemic relief program. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) created a temporary loan program directed at small businesses called the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Independent contractors were eligible to apply for PPP loans, which were processed by private financial institutions and fully guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. If an independent contractor used the loan funds for approved purposes, such as payroll, the loan could be forgiven by the financial institution and paid for by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Joseph participated in a scheme that obtained over $220,000 in proceeds through fraudulent PPP loan applications submitted between April 2020 and April 2021. Joseph and co-conspirator Yves Montima submitted 12 fraudulent PPP loan applications, both in their own names and on behalf of others, at several financial institutions. The fraudulent loan applications claimed independent contractor income that did not exist and substantiated that non-existent income through falsified tax documents. In addition to receiving the proceeds from the loans submitted in their own names, Joseph and Montima received kickback payments from individuals on whose behalf they submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications. In November 2021, Montima pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud conspiracy and was sentenced in September 2023.



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RI Lottery Mega Millions, Numbers Midday winning numbers for June 5, 2026

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The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at June 5, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from June 5 drawing

13-30-50-52-66, Mega Ball: 02

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Numbers numbers from June 5 drawing

Midday: 5-3-4-8

Evening: 6-7-9-7

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from June 5 drawing

01-06-07-12-32, Extra: 05

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 5 drawing

06-38-51-54-55, Bonus: 05

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

  • Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
  • Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
  • Winners of the Millionaire for Life top prize of $1,000,000 a year for life and second prize of $100,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
  • Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. ET daily.
  • Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
  • Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
  • Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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The Most Expensive House in Rhode Island—Around the Corner From Taylor Swift’s Home—to Ask $23.5 Million

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The Most Expensive House in Rhode Island—Around the Corner From Taylor Swift’s Home—to Ask .5 Million


A waterfront estate in Rhode Island could set a record in the same neighborhood where Taylor Swift owns a home. 

The 2.75-acre estate on Pawcatuck Avenue in the village of Watch Hill will soon hit the open market for $23.5 million, making it the most expensive active listing in Rhode Island. The property is in Westerly, a peninsula in the state’s western-most section, at the meeting point with Connecticut and New York. 

MORE: A Former Gilded Age Inn Perched on a Cliff Above the Hudson River Lists for $2.9 Million

The main New England-style home spans 7,000 square feet across four levels, with five bedrooms, several reception rooms, a wet bar and a wine cellar. There is also a three-bedroom guest house, which spans close to 5,000 square feet, along with a saltwater pool surrounded by a bluestone deck and a newly refinished tennis court, according to the listing with Geb Masterson of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty. 

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“Properties don’t often come up for sale in Watch Hill,” Masterson said via email. “People and families often stay for generations, holding onto the homes their parents bought.”

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The property, which has an alternate address on Bay Street, is fully outfitted with amenities for waterfront living, including a boat house, boat garage and a dock that can accommodate a 70-foot yacht. There is also a three-bedroom guest house, according to the listing. 

Swift has owned a home in the Watch Hill neighborhood since 2013—a bolthole where the global pop star reportedly throws the best July 4th bash in town. Additionally, earlier in the year, Swift and her fiance, football star Travis Kelce, were rumored to be marrying in a coastal wedding venue nearby, but recent gossip suggests the wedding will actually be held in New York City in less than a month, on July 3. 

Mansion Global Boutique: Why Your Home Needs a Little ‘Ugly Beauty’

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The sellers purchased the Watch Hill property in April 2020 for $10.4 million via a trust, from the family who built it in 2006, according to records accessed through PropertyShark. The 2020 sale was approved by a Connecticut District bankruptcy court, as the prior owner was in the middle of bankruptcy proceedings related to the home as well as to a ski resort he owned in Vermont, according to court documents and news reports. 

The sellers and previous owners couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. 



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R.I. Senate passes pair of DiPalma bills on dementia services and pension revocation for sex crimes – What’s Up Newp

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R.I. Senate passes pair of DiPalma bills on dementia services and pension revocation for sex crimes – What’s Up Newp


The Rhode Island Senate passed two bills sponsored by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Louis P. DiPalma, D-Middletown, on Thursday — one creating a state dementia services coordinator and another allowing the state to revoke pension benefits from public employees convicted of job-related felony sex crimes.

The first bill (2026-S 2874) would create a dementia services coordinator within the Rhode Island Department of Health to oversee the state’s approach to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. According to DiPalma’s office, the coordinator’s duties would include overseeing implementation and updates of the Rhode Island Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorder State Plan, analyzing dementia-related data collected by the state and recommending strategies to improve coordination of services provided by public and private entities.

“Unfortunately, most of us have been touched in some way by Alzheimer’s and dementia,” DiPalma said in a statement. “Whether it’s caring for a loved one or seeing a friend suffering from these devastating diseases, the toll they take is significant. That’s why it’s important to have a central authority in the state whose job it is to support all those afflicted by these diseases.”

The second bill (2026-S 3296) would authorize the State Retirement Board to revoke or reduce a person’s pension benefits if the individual is convicted, or pleads guilty or no contest to, a felony sex crime related to their public office or public employment.

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“Any state worker who commits a sex crime in relation to their official duties does not in any way deserve the continued financial support of the state through pension benefits,” DiPalma said. “This is a common-sense measure that will hold sex offenders accountable for their despicable actions.”

DiPalma represents District 12, which includes Middletown, Little Compton, Newport and Tiverton. Both bills now head to the House for consideration. Rep. Julie A. Casimiro, D-North Kingstown, has introduced companion legislation on the dementia services coordinator (2026-H 7542), and House Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Carol Hagan McEntee, D-South Kingstown, has introduced companion legislation on the pension revocation (2026-H 7656).



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