Operation Ghost suspect found dangerous, held without bail – News – southcoasttoday.com

NEW BEDFORD — A city woman, described by prosecutors as a distributor in a large-scale fentanyl trafficking ring in Greater New Bedford, was found dangerous and ordered held without bail, court records indicate.

Kelly L. Rodrigues, 39, of 66 Myrtle St. will now be held at the Bristol County House of Correction, Dartmouth, for four months without bail as she awaits trial.

She was found dangerous and ordered held by Judge David P. Sorrenti after a pre-trial detention hearing Thursday in New Bedford District Court. The hearing was held via a video conferencing link between the courthouse and the House of Correction, where she was being held. 

She is charged with trafficking in fentanyl, conspiracy to traffic fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute a Class A substance, subsequent offense. She is due back in New Bedford District Court on June 4 for a probable cause hearing.

Rodrigues was one of a total of 21 people arrested in Operation Ghost, a multi-police agency investigation into a fentanyl trafficking ring known as the Orlando Badillo Drug Trafficking Organization.

Police raided her second-floor apartment at 66 Myrtle St. on April 30 and seized a plastic bag of fentanyl weighing about five grams, a digital scale and about $3,000 in cash, court records indicate.

She has a prior conviction in Bristol County Superior Court for possession to distribute heroin from Dec. 27, 2001, according to court documents. 

Dangerousness hearings for two other co-conspirators in Operation Ghost — Orlando Badillo, 40, the leader of the fentanyl trafficking ring, and David Luna, 37, Badillo’s top lieutenant — were continued this week in New Bedford District Court until May 14, court records say.

Orlando Badillo, 40, of 40 Dudley St., New Bedford is charged with conspiracy to traffic fentanyl and trafficking fentanyl. He is represented by attorney Kevin J. Reddington of Brockton.

Luna of 124 Arlington St., Apartment 2 North, New Bedford, is charged with trafficking in fentanyl and conspiracy to traffic fentanyl.

Follow Curt Brown on Twitter @CurtBrown_SCT