Wiretaps helped end alleged drug ring

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Wiretaps on cell phones played a major role in the investigation into six people, including three Providence Police officers, accused of participating in a cocaine distribution ring.

The wiretaps, dating back to November, are detailed in affidavits obtained by the Target 12 Investigators.

The leader of the ring referred to drug deals as purchasing floor covering when talking on the phone, according to the documents, asking clients how many "tiles" or "rooms" they wanted done as code for drugs.

The officers allegedly knew about the deals and sometimes participated in them, the documents show.

Investigators said Sgt. Stephen Gonsalves reached out to Detective Joseph Colanduono on Feb. 9, looking to set up a drug deal with Albert Hamlin:

Gonsalves: "You gonna call [Hamlin] for me?"

Colanduono: "Yea, you want me to call him now?... How much you want?"

Gonsalves: "I don't know. Like 100."

Documents show Colanduono then called Hamlin to set up the buy, and called Gonsalves back the next day:

Colanduono: "My friend is in your area. I'm going to give you his number. You can call him and tell him where you want to meet him..."

Gonsalves: "I don't have the money, I got to go to the [expletive] bank."

Colanduono: "Well kid, start poppin, kid."

Gonsalves: "Alright he knows my name?"

Colanduono: "Umm, you know... just say Joe's friend."

Rhode Island State Police investigators said Hamlin agreed to meet Gonsalves at a Providence credit union near the Statehouse. Investigators said they caught Gonsalves on camera pulling up in his gray pickup truck and buying cocaine from Hamlin.

Targer 12 tracked down the truck on Friday and found a Providence Police Department uniform in the back seat.

The documents also said Patrolman Robert Hamlin — Albert Hamlin's brother — not only knew his brother was dealing drugs but hung out while deals went down.

"Albert Hamlin conducted the illegal narcotics transaction while in the direct presence of his brother, Patrolman Robert Hamlin and while seated in his brother's vehicle," an investigator wrote. "Portions of this transaction were memorialized with photographs."

The documents also show Colanduono tried to protect Albert Hamlin when state police were getting close to the operation.