Craigslist escort led cops to dealers

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Providence police arrested four drug suspects this week, and they have a woman advertising her escort services on craigslist to thank.

According to Maj. Thomas Oates, detectives received a tip that in addition to her normal services, the escort was also referring customers to area drug dealers.

Detectives then called the woman Wednesday to set up an encounter. She sent them to 38 Dartmouth Ave., where Oates said the officers then bought marijuana from Justin Taymes, 21.

Shortly after, Oates said police moved in for the bust - seizing bags of marijuana, a digital scale and $1,121 in cash.

Police arrested Taymes, who has served time at the Adult Correctional Institutions for drug offenses, and three others on drug charges.

One of the other three is Kevron Poston, 20, who was charged Monday with assaulting an officer last week and free on personal recognizance. Elizabeth Maldonado, 21, and Delron Fields, 24, were also charged in the drug bust.

The craigslist escort was not charged, Oates said.

The website has been in the news quite a lot lately. Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch is leading the charge to get craigslist to crack down on prostitution ads on the site, in light of the so-called craigslist attacks.

Medical student Philip Markoff, 23, is charged with attacking and robbing women he met on the website, including a woman in Warwick. He is also charged with murder in one of the assaults.