Federal Detainee Admits to Possessing and Distributing Contraband Inside the Wyatt Detention Center

PROVIDENCE – A Wyatt Detention Center detainee admitted to a federal judge today that he participated in a conspiracy with several individuals, including a now former correctional officer, to possess and distribute contraband inside the facility, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

Matthew Pizarro, 36, admitted that he conspired with another detainee and others outside the facility to arrange for the delivery and distribution of contraband that was delivered by now former Correctional Officer Kaii Almeida-Falcones, 31, of Smithfield.

Wyatt Detention Center video surveillance records show that on February 14, 2021, Correctional Officer Almeida-Falcone visited Pizarro’s cell for less than a minute. Pizzaro then visited the cell of another detainee, Edward Nolasco, 38, where he remained for less than a minute.

On February 15, 2021, a strip search of Nolasco revealed a package containing suboxone strips.  A search by Wyatt staff of Pizarro’s cell on the same date revealed a plastic bottle containing 4.5 grams of marijuana that was located inside Pizarro’s pillowcase.

The suboxone strips were sent to a lab and confirmed to be 201 strips, 5 of which were partial strips, containing buprenorphine, which is an ingredient in Suboxone, a Schedule III controlled substance.

Pizarro pleaded guilty today to one count each of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of Suboxone, and possession of contraband by an inmate. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Kaii Almeida-Falcones was sentenced on November 14, 2024, to six months in federal prison to be followed by twenty-four months of supervised release - the first six months to be served on home confinement. He pleaded guilty on June 10, 2024, to the charge of providing contraband to an inmate.

Edward Nolasco was sentenced on November 3, 2024, to forty-eight months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on June 20, 2023, to charges of possession with intent to distribute Suboxone, possession of contraband by an inmate, and possession with intent to distribute Suboxone.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul F. Daly, Jr. and Ly T. Chin.

The matter was investigated by the FBI, the United States Marshals Service, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, and the Professional Standards Unit at the Wyatt Detention Center.

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