Westerly Sex Offender Arrested For Having Cocaine, Pot: Cops

WESTERLY, RI — A Westerly man who is a registered sex offender was arrested Thursday after police said they found more than 12 grams of cocaine and 2 pounds of marijuana during a search of his Canal Street home.

Michael Andrew Tardie, 37, was taken into custody and charged with delivery of cocaine, possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, and possession of a controlled substance.

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Tardie in 2003 was convicted of second-degree child molestation and second-degree sexual assault, Rhode Island judicial and sex offender records showed. He was later accused of violating sex offender registration laws at least twice and was arrested in December 2019 on a domestic violence charge. Tardie has a lengthy arrest record stretching at least 17 years, records showed.

Tardie appeared at the 4th Division District Court in Wakefield on Thursday. He did not enter a plea and was ordered jailed without bail. A status conference is scheduled for March 17 and a felony screening is set for June 11.