State police: Mass. man had a brick of cocaine

August 3, 2024  |  By Eric Blaisdell  |  Times Argus staff writer 

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in the Times Argus on July 31. 

BARRE — Vermont State Police say a Massachusetts man was found with a brick of cocaine and other drugs in Waterbury.

Rafael Santos, 37, pleaded not guilty by video Friday in Washington County criminal court in Barre to felony counts of cocaine trafficking, fentanyl trafficking, dispensing fentanyl and two felony counts of selling cocaine. If convicted, Santos faces a maximum sentence of 83 years in prison. He was ordered held on $50,000 bail and was housed at Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans as of Tuesday morning.

Trooper Brandon Degre, of the State Police, said in his affidavit the Vermont Drug Task Force started an investigation earlier this month focused on distribution of cocaine and fentanyl in Washington County by Santos, also known as “Jose Don.” Degre said the investigation used a cooperating individual who agreed to assist the investigation in exchange for financial compensation.

The trooper said the individual is a user of narcotics. He said the individual has previously participated in controlled purchases with law enforcement.

Degre said such a purchase was set up with Santos on the week of July 7. He said the individual was to buy cocaine from Santos. He said the individual was given Task Force funds and was equipped with audio and video monitoring devices.

He said the individual was seen meeting with Santos and then met back up with investigators. He said the individual gave investigators suspected cocaine they had bought from Santos. Degre said the substance field-tested positive for cocaine.

Degre said the individual participated in a second controlled buy with Santos the week of July 7. He said the individual returned with suspected fentanyl.

Degre said a third controlled buy took place the week of July 14, where the individual again purchased a substance that field-tested positive for cocaine.

The trooper said Santos was arrested on July 25 at a home he had been staying at on Ripley Road in Waterbury.

He said Santos had three small plastic bags on him containing a substance that field-tested positive for cocaine.

Degre said police executed a search warrant on the home, and the homeowner reported Santos had rented part of the home through Airbnb. He said Santos did not have access to other parts of the home through his rental. Court records show Santos had been staying at the home for two months.

The trooper said investigators found about 310 bags of suspected fentanyl, 12 opioid pills, 95 Suboxone strips, 12 grams of cocaine in plastic bags and 719 grams of cocaine in the form of a broken, pressed kilogram brick. He said police also found over $9,500 in cash, $300 of which came from the controlled buys conducted by the task force.

Degre said the suspected cocaine found at the home field-tested positive, as did the fentanyl.