Providence Man Charged With Felony Drug Distribution

Unless otherwise noted, information about the following incidents was supplied by the South Kingstown Police Department. An arrest does not indicate a conviction.

Justin Blake Hart, 23, of 119 Almy St., Apt. #3, Providence, was arrested at about 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 19 and charged with two counts of felony heroin distribution.

According to police, at about 4:15 p.m. they received a tip from an informant that Hart would be coming into town at 9 p.m. to sell heroin. Police said that Hart already had a warrant out for his arrest because of a controlled heroin buy conducted by the department on Nov. 27.

Police said that coordinating with the informant, they found Hart in his girlfriend’s car near the CVS parking lot on Main Street. Police said Hart was arrested after his identity was confirmed.

According to police, during the arrest Hart dropped a plastic baggie on the ground. Police said the baggie had five smaller baggies containing a white powder believed to be heroin. Police also seized $375 in cash from the car.

Police said that based on an interview with Hart’s girlfriend, she had driven him to this location to complete a drug sale. Because of past arrests, Hart was held for arraignment at court and not arraigned at police headquarters.

In October, Narragansett police picked Hart up for warrants. He was held at the ACI at the time and then released after arraignment.

According to online records, Hart has six past arrests:

• In March 2011, Hart pleaded no contest to North Kingstown police felony drug distribution and felony drug possession charges. He was ordered to serve six months at the ACI followed by 4.5 years probation and a 4.5-year suspended sentence, and to complete 100 hours community service and substance abuse counseling. Probation from this arrest triggered Hart being held without bail for his South Kingstown arrest.
• In June 2010, Hart pleaded no contest to Rhode Island State Police charges emanating from the Wickford barracks of felony drug possession and driving with a suspended license. He was ordered to serve 10 days at the ACI followed by two years probation and a two-year suspended sentence, and to pay a fine.
• In June 2008, Hart pleaded no contest to a Narragansett police charge of possession of marijuana. He was ordered to serve a year of probation, and after a probation violation, to serve six months home confinement.
• In December 2008, Hart pleaded no contest to four Narragansett police charges of felony drug possession, and a charge of possession of marijuana. He was ordered to serve three years probation and a three-year suspended sentence, and to complete 100 hours of community service and substance abuse counseling.
• In August 2007, Hart pleaded no contest to a South Kingstown police charge of driving with a suspended license. He was ordered to pay court costs.

For Hart’s latest South Kingstown charges, a status conference is scheduled for March 6. Felony screening is scheduled for April 2. As of March 3, Hart is still being held without bail at the ACI.

Unless otherwise noted, the information for this article was compiled from South Kingstown police reports, which are available for review by any member of the public at their headquarters. If we’re missing a call or report you’re interested in knowing about, feel free to leave a comment or to send Local Editor Stephen Greenwell a message at Stephen.greenwell@patch.com.

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