Bristol police have arrested three men following a months-long investigation into alleged cocaine and fentanyl distribution centered on an apartment at 118 Church Street, an address WPRI said officers were called to 35 times and Turnto10 said they were called to more than 35 times since December 2025. The case began drawing scrutiny after a 32-year-old man suffered a suspected overdose inside the unit in August, and it culminated in arrests that stretched from a roadside stop in October to a warrant served earlier this month.
Police identified Christopher Desouza and Nelson Amaral as the men allegedly responsible for delivering and distributing drugs in and around Bristol, according to turnto10.com. Investigators said the pair transported cocaine and fentanyl into town and sold it to customers there. According to the station, Desouza and Amaral used apartment 2 at 118 Church Street — occupied by Michael Brum — as a base for those alleged sales, a detail also confirmed by WPRI.
The address had already drawn heavy police attention before the arrests. Turnto10 reported that officers responded to 118 Church Street more than 35 times for various calls for service, including drug complaints, since December 2025, while WPRI's count put the figure at 35 times for reasons that included narcotics-related complaints. Hoodline could not independently resolve which figure is accurate.
Suspected Overdose Preceded the Arrests
Months before any arrests were made, a 32-year-old man suffered a suspected overdose while inside Brum's apartment, with all three suspects present, according to a WPRI report published Nov. 6, 2026, which says the overdose occurred Aug. 14. WPRI said the incident remained under investigation. The dossier of evidence reviewed does not establish whether the man survived.
Bristol police said they later received numerous tips and citizen complaints linking Desouza and Amaral to the Church Street address, feeding an investigation that police described as targeting alleged cocaine and fentanyl sale and distribution in and around Bristol. The case also connects to an earlier chapter involving Desouza, who police said was previously arrested for selling illegal narcotics in Bristol's Franklin and Wood Street and Franklin and Hope Street areas.
Traffic Stop on Ferry Road Triggers First Arrests
The investigation's first arrests followed a traffic stop. Bristol police conducted a stop on Ferry Road on Oct. 23 in connection with the case, the same account notes. Desouza and Amaral were taken into custody and charged with possession with intent to deliver a Schedule I narcotic — described as a subsequent offense for Desouza — along with felony drug conspiracy and possession of a controlled substance of 10 grams or less, per the same report.
Brum was arrested days ago, on Nov. 4, and charged with maintaining a common narcotics nuisance at 118 Church Street and for his role in facilitating the sale and distribution of cocaine and fentanyl from that home, the station reported. None of the charges against Desouza, Amaral, or Brum represent a conviction, and case outcomes have not been made public in the available reporting.
Multi-Agency Partnership Behind the Investigation
Bristol police said they partnered with the Massachusetts State Police C.I.N.R.E.T. South Unit and Homeland Security Investigations during the probe, according to WPRI. The Bristol Police Department said the investigation remains ongoing.
The Bristol case follows a similar pattern seen elsewhere in the region. In a separate case detailed by Fall River Reporter, Rehoboth police detectives executed a narcotics search warrant at 370 Winthrop Street that recovered cocaine, oxycodone, MDMA and fentanyl, leading to the arrest of 36-year-old Melinda Archambault of Bristol, Rhode Island on narcotics charges, with help from Massachusetts State Police and several nearby departments.
Statewide, overdose deaths tied to opioids and fentanyl remain a persistent concern. A Rhode Island state government release said opioids were involved in 73% of overdose deaths and fentanyl in 57%, with another substance typically present in those cases as well, according to the Governor's Office, State of Rhode Island.
