Westerly Pair Charged With Drug Dealing

Correction: Based upon information gleaned from town property records, an earlier version said the apartments searched by police were in a single building at 32-34 Pierce Street. Police Chief Shawn Lacey clarified today that the searches took place in two houses that are right next door to each other and separated by a driveway.

WESTERLY, RI — Westerly police on Friday executed search warrants at adjacent homes and arrested a man and woman on drug charges.

Kristin L. Miner, 54, of 34 Pierce St. was charged with two counts of manufacturing or possessing with intent to deliver a schedule I or II drug, according to a Westerly Police Department arrest log.

Luis Hernandez-Casanova, 40, of 32 Pierce St. was charged with two counts of manufacturing or possessing with intent to deliver: one count for a schedule I or II drug, and a second for a schedule III or IV drug. He also faces a possession charge.

Each is charged with conspiracy to violate the state's drug laws.

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Police Chief Shawn Lacey provided more details today. He said that during the course of an investigation, a confidential informant twice bought cocaine from Miner. On two occasions, she allegedly took the buyer's money, went next door, and returned with the drugs. Police assembled evidence and obtained search warrants for both properties. Lacey said police found a safe inside Hernandez-Casanova's home that contained 3.5 grams of cocaine, 28 grams of prescription Alprazolam, 50 doses of Suboxone, and traceable cash used by the informant to make the initial cocaine purchases.

Miner was arrested at her home, and Hernandez-Casanova, a house cleaner, was arrested later that day while working at another Westerly address.

The two were due to be arraigned this morning.