Woonsocket family arrested on felony drug charges

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (WPRI) — Four members of a Woonsocket family were arrested Wednesday morning for running a suspected drug operation out of their High Street home.

After conducting surveillance on the home and speaking to cooperating witnesses, police executed a search warrant at the home around 6 a.m. According to Deputy Police Chief Michael Lemoine, the front door was fortified with a 4X4 so in order to get inside, detectives had to call in the bomb squad to dislodge it using a small explosive device.

Upon entering the home, police took Bazel Brochu, 23, Jordan Brochu, 21, Ernest Brochu, 55, and Diane Martini, 59, into custody. 

According to the arrest report, Bazel Brochu asked police if he could put on clothes and directed a detective to a pair of jeans on his bed. The detective retrieved the jeans and checked the pockets, where he found a “large bag of suspected drugs,” the report stated.

In all, police seized approximately an ounce of fentanyl, six ounces of packaged marijuana, $34,730 in cash, a semiautomatic gun clip loaded with a single bullet, and other drug paraphernalia including small baggies and digital scales from the home.

Martini and Ernest Brochu told police they “don’t know what [their] kids do,” according to the report, but detectives said based on their investigation, the pair was home while alleged drug deals took place.

Police also noted they’ve executed search warrants at the home on four previous occasions and each time seized drugs, weapons and cash.

Both parents were charged with maintaining a common nuisance (controlled substances). 

Bazel Brochu was charged with manufacturing/possessing/delivery of fentanyl, possession with intent to deliver heroin, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, distributing a controlled substance near a school, and maintaining a common nuisance (controlled substances).

Jordan Brochu was charged with manufacturing/possessing/intent to deliver schedule I-II substance, distributing a controlled substance near a school, and maintaining a common nuisance (controlled substance), as well as a misdemeanor bench warrant.