Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Interstate Travel to Engage in Sexual Activity with a Minor
PROVIDENCE – A 57-year-old man from Fairhaven, MA, was sentenced today to 97 months in federal prison for traveling in interstate commerce to engage in sexual activity with a minor. Robert F. Eccleston, a registered sex offender, admitted to the Court that on July 12, 2016, he traveled from Massachusetts to East Providence, RI, expecting to meet with and engage in illicit sexual activity with a 15-year-old boy he had been communicating with on the Internet. Eccleston pleaded guilty in District Court in Providence on September 21, 2017, to travelling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging…
Second Florida Man Admits to Trafficking Kilos of Cocaine Into Rhode Island from Puerto Rico
PROVIDENCE – The second of two Florida men charged with trafficking more than 5 kilograms of cocaine through the Postal Service into Rhode Island from Puerto Rico pleaded guilty in District Court in Providence today. Appearing before District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Gabriel Conception, 28, of Kissimmee, FL, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, announced United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Postal Inspection Service Raymond D. Moss, and Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State…
New York Man Admits to Running Large-Scale Indoor Marijuana Grow Operations
PROVIDENCE – A New York man pleaded guilty in District Court in Providence today to charges that he participated in conspiracies to operate large-scale, sophisticated marijuana grow facilities inside a converted Providence mill building. Appearing before District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith, Irwan Anwar, 54, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture 100 or more marijuana plants, manufacturing more than 100 marijuana plants, and using or maintaining a drug premises. Anwar’s guilty plea is announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch and Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Division of the FBI Harold H. Shaw. …
Westerly Resident Admits to Federal Child Pornography Charges
Admits to transferring obscene materials to a minor PROVIDENCE – A Westerly man pleaded guilty in District Court in Providence today to receiving, possessing and distributing child pornography, and to transferring obscene material to a minor. Appearing before District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Jonathan Breslin, 33, admitted to the Court that he exchanged sexually explicit images involving minors with others via online social media applications. Breslin also admitted to sending sexually explicit images to a minor via the Internet and attempting to entice minors to create and share with him sexually explicit images and/or videos. Breslin…
Previously Deported Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft, Health Care and Welfare Fraud, Misuse of Social Security Numbers and Illegal Reentry
PROVIDENCE, RI – A previously deported Dominican national pleaded guilty in District Court in Providence today to charges that he reentered the country illegally, and then used the identities and Social Security numbers of others without their knowledge to fraudulently obtain health care and welfare benefits. Appearing before District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Carlos José Portes-Ortiz, 38, of Pawtucket, pleaded guilty to health care fraud, welfare (SNAP) fraud, misuse of Social Security numbers, aggravated identity theft, and illegal reentry. Portes-Ortiz was among more than 600 individuals in 58 districts charged last spring and summer by the…
Cumberland Man Admits to “Lying and Buying” Nine Firearms
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Cumberland man admitted in District Court in Providence today to participating in a series of “lying and buying” schemes, where in the fall and winter of 2016, he bought a total of nine guns from three different licensed firearms dealers by falsely representing that he was the actual buyer of the firearms, when in fact he was buying the guns for others. Appearing before District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Tariek Gill, 25, pleaded guilty to false statements during the purchase of a firearm and engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a…
Plaque Rededication for Fallen Cranston Native and Air Force Vietnam War Hero
CRANSTON, RI—Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung invited the Cranston community to attend a special plaque rededication ceremony for fallen war hero and Cranston native Col. Frederic Mellor in Rolfe Square on Thursday, Oct. 11 at 10 Col. Mellor, an Air Force pilot who was listed as missing in action for 53 years after his plane was shot down in Vietnam, was recently positively identified and transported back to the United States for a proper homecoming and burial at the Veterans Cemetery in Exeter last month. Before he was identified, Mayor Fung’s administration was in the process of correcting a misspelling of Col. Mellor’s name on…
Reed Calls for U.S. to Step Up Probe into Whereabouts of Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement on the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a resident, who was last seen visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last week, and whom human rights officials and Turkish government officials believe may have been murdered there: “I am deeply disturbed by the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the Saudi government’s alleged role. “If these allegations are proven, the Trump Administration must hold Saudi Arabia and anyone else involved accountable. “President Trump must also recognize that his repeated…
RWU Professor Helps Scholars at Risk Network Establish U.S. Section
Professor Adam Braver, chair of SAR-United States Steering Committee, says higher education has responsibility to advocate when its values under threat BRISTOL, , Oct. 10, 2018 – The Scholars at Risk Network on Wednesday announced the establishment of a SAR-United States section to unite professionals and more than 150 higher education institutions around the nation. The chair of the SAR-United States Steering Committee is Roger Williams University Professor Adam Braver, who has been at the center of the group’s amplified efforts. “Higher education has a responsibility to advocate when its values are under threat or being challenged,” Braver said. “When one…
Mayor Elorza to Host Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at City Hall
PROVIDENCE, RI – Mayor Jorge O. Elorza will host a Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at Providence City Hall on Thursday, October 11 from 5:30PM to 7:00PM. The event will feature live music, a variety of traditional dishes from Hispanic countries, folkloric dances and a special presentation by the Providence-based musical group Robertico Arias y Su Alebreke, which specializes in Afro-Cuban music, such as rumba, son, mambo, salsa, Latin jazz, bachata and merengue. This celebration is free and open to the public. Each year, National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of…