Sentencing Hearings Completed for Four Defendants in Cocaine, Heroin, Marijuana, Ecstasy and “Molly” Trafficking Conspiracy

Fifteen-month ATF led multi-agency investigation resulted in the seizure of drugs, cash and firearms

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Four men arrested in June 2013 as the result of a sweeping fifteen-month joint federal, state and local law enforcement investigation resulting in the seizure of more than 137 grams of heroin, 392 grams of crack cocaine, 235 grams of cocaine powder, 47 grams and 100 pills of the synthetic drug "Molly," 100 Ecstasy pills and six firearms, including a machine gun, have been sentenced to federal prison, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha.

The investigation initiated in March 2012 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and investigated jointly with DEA, with the assistance of agents and officers from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Marshals Service, Rhode Island State Police and Cranston, Pawtucket, Providence, and Warwick Police Departments, determined that the drug trafficking conspiracy was responsible for a significant quantity of drugs being trafficked to other drug dealers and to drug users.

Salee Yang, 30, of Pawtucket, the primary target of the investigation, was sentenced in March to 120 months in federal prison; Eric Negron, 49, of Pawtucket, who admitted to being a primary supplier of heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine to Yang, was sentenced in April to 184 months in federal prison; Stanz Hun, 26, of Cranston, a member of the 4/5th Mafia and PSB street gangs who admitted to being a customer of Yang and admitted to operating his own drug trafficking business, was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison; and Peter Lietar, 37, of Pawtucket, who admitted to supplying Ecstasy and "Molly" to Yang, was sentenced in March to 24 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a fine of $30,000. At the time of his arrest, agents discovered a marijuana grow in Lietar’s home larger than he was permitted as a State of Rhode Island authorized medical marijuana caregiver card holder.

"Drug trafficking, illegal guns and gang activity are a 1 – 2 – 3 recipe for urban violence, often with disastrous results," said United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha. "The long sentences received by these men are well-deserved, and will contribute to making our urban neighborhoods safer. Yet, obviously, the work must continue, and I am grateful to our federal, state and local law enforcement partners for our continuing, ongoing, coordinated efforts to confront violence in urban neighborhoods."

The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan.

This case was brought as part of the Rhode Island Urban Violent Crime Initiative. The Rhode Island Urban Violent Crime Initiative is a local, state and federal law enforcement collaboration to proactively identify, investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for crimes of violence in urban neighborhoods.