Rhode Island State Police today arrested a RI lawyer on numerous charges involving the fraudulent cashing of checks

Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and
Director of Public Safety, announces the arrest of Attorney Robert McNelis, age 38,
of 13 Alma Street, Providence, Rhode Island, on an Affidavit/Arrest Warrant for
False Report of a Crime, Obstructing a Police Officer, Unlawful Appropriation,
Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Appropriation, Soliciting Another to Commit a
Crime-Forgery and Counterfeiting, Forgery and Counterfeiting in General, Conspiracy
to Commit Forgery and Counterfeiting, Uttering and Publishing, Soliciting Another to
Commit a Crime-Bail Jumping, Bank Fraud, and Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud.

In August 2017, the Rhode Island State Police Financial Crimes Unit
investigated a fraud complaint filed by Xtreme Computers, LLC., a
check cashing service located at 210 Lonsdale Avenue in the City of
Pawtucket.

Xtreme Computers reported that beginning in January 2016, a person
identified as Marcus Crook cashed numerous checks that had been made
payable to him and drawn on a BankRI Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts
(IOLTA) that belonged to Attorney Robert F. McNelis. Detectives later
responded to Attorney McNelis’ law office, located at 986 Hartford
Avenue in the Town of Johnston.

Detectives interviewed Attorney McNelis, and during the interview, he
reported that in the spring of 2016, he learned his BankRI IOLTA account
checkbook had been stolen. Attorney McNelis learned of this theft after
a check issued to a chiropractor on behalf of a client had been
returned, due to insufficient funds. Attorney McNelis reported that he
responded to BankRI and learned that several checks had been passed at
Xtreme Computers.

Attorney McNelis reported to Detectives that each of the checks had been
stolen and forged and that he wished to pursue prosecution. Attorney
McNelis advised that he knew of Mr. Crook, who had cashed the stolen
checks, but had no personal or professional relationship with him, and
that his contact with Mr. Crook was «limited at best.»

A later review of Attorney McNelis’ records revealed Mr. Crook cashed an additional
check, which was drawn on Attorney McNelis’ personal account. Attorney McNelis
later reported that this check had been stolen as well. In total, eight checks were
written out of Attorney McNelis’ BankRI accounts. As a result, Xtreme Computers,
LLC, suffered a loss of $7,705.00 and Attorney McNelis suffered a loss of $5,138.32.
Detectives subsequently obtained an arrest warrant for Mr. Crook based on the above
information.

In December 2017, Mr. Crook was apprehended on an arrest warrant in connection with
the check-cashing charges. As a result of the ongoing investigation, Detectives
later determined that Attorney McNelis had allegedly directed Mr. Crook to cash the
checks on his behalf. The investigation corroborated certain key aspects of what
Mr. Crook had told investigators. As a result, a warrant was obtained for Attorney
McNelis.