PROVIDENCE — Three alleged South Providence crack dealers — a mother, a father and a son — are in custody after the police responded to complaints from the public and moved in on them.

The father, Efrain Domenech, 48, of 70 Chester Ave., said he needed to sell crack in order to get money to bail out his wife, who had been arrested for the same offense, according to detectives.

The events that led to the breaking of the case, according to the police, began Nov. 3, when an undercover detective from the narcotics and organized crime bureau, driving slowly and pretending to be looking for something, was hailed by an alleged crack dealer on Chester Avenue. He pulled over in front of 70 Chester.

“You straight?” the alleged dealer inquired.

The detective asked what he could get “for 36.”

Four rocks, replied the alleged dealer, who was identified as Matthew E. Wills, 31, of 1 Chestnut St., downtown. The detective handed over $36 in marked money, Wills went into 70 Chester and returned with two plastic bags of crack that he gave to the detective, according to a police report.

The detective left and Wills was apprehended nearby on Mount Vernon Street. The police returned to 70 Chester, knocked on a door, said they saw two people packaging crack for street sale and when the door was opened, and they barged in.

The two people were identified as Luzmaria Acevedo, 43, of 70 Chester, and Mark Cole, 22, of the Bronx, N.Y. Acevedo’s husband, Domenech, their son, and one of their daughters were in the house.

The police said they seized 13 bags of varying sizes that contained crack; a silver and black BB gun; $905, including the marked money; and drug paraphernalia.

Acevedo and Cole were charged with possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, manufacturing and distributing cocaine in a school zone, and conspiracy. The house is near Flynn Elementary School Annex.

Wills was charged with delivery of cocaine, manufacturing and distributing cocaine in a school zone, and on a warrant for failure to appear in court on a previous charge for failure to pay fines.

Lt. Thomas A. Verdi, bureau commander, said yesterday that the police were prompted to act because citizens complained they had a crack house in their neighborhood.

Six days later, last Thursday, two undercover detectives returned to 70 Chester, pretending to be drug buyers. Twenty-three dollars allegedly got the “buyers” a bag of crack from Domenech and his 17-year-old son.

Ten minutes later other detectives went to the house, looking for more crack.

Domenech and his 17-year-old son catered to them, the police said, and when the detectives were not fast enough in producing some money, Domenech allegedly told them, “Hurry up. This isn’t a candy store.” A $20 bill bought a bag of crack in that transaction, according to the police.

The police came back in a few minutes, but not as buyers this time. When the son realized the police were coming in, he allegedly flushed some crack down a toilet before the police could grab it. Nevertheless, detectives said they seized 23 bags of crack from a jacket in a bedroom closet. In a search of the house, and of the son in the cellblock at police headquarters, the police also confiscated $983, including the marked money.

Domenech, asked why he was still selling crack despite the bust the week before, said he needed money for his wife’s bail, according to the police account. He was charged with two counts of delivery of cocaine, conspiracy, possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, and manufacturing and distributing cocaine in a school zone.

The husband and wife are being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions. The son, who was turned over to the police Youth Services Bureau, was charged and was sent to the Rhode Island Training School.