Police Log - 02/13/20

The Police Log is a digest of reports provided by the Johnston Police, Rhode Island State Police and other departments.

MULTIPLE CHARGES

Patrolmen Matthew Rado and Louis Cotoia responded to the Burrillville Police Department the evening of Feb. 8 to take custody of Joseph Jenkins Jr., 53, 51 Wolcott St., Everett, Massachusetts.

Jenkins was wanted out of the Johnston Police Department on charges of simple assault, vandalism and disorderly conduct. Jenkins was released with a Third Division District Court summons for Feb. 10.

Jenkins arrest stemmed from an alleged incident that occurred the afternoon of Dec. 14, 2019. Patrolman Matthew Winsor and multiple officers responded to a disturbance that had just taken place, and Winsor spoke with a person on the scene whose name has been redacted. Winsor noted that the man said that Jenkins pulled up in front of his residence and walked up to and knocked on the front door.

The man said that, when he walked outside, Jenkins immediately got in his face in an aggressive manner and began yelling at him that he owed him money. Winsor noted that the man confirmed he owed Jenkins $300.

Winsor said the man continued, saying that Jenkins was yelling at him, and someone else walked outside to break up the argument. Jenkins then aggressively grabbed his left arm, and the man indicated that his mother attempted to push Jenkins back in an attempt to free his arm. The man said Joseph grabbed his mother’s right arm.

The reporting party said that, once he was able to get away from Jenkins, he walked inside the residence as Jenkins continued to yell while standing in the front doorway. The man indicated that his mother pushed Jenkins out of the doorway and immediately closed the front door.

The reporting party said Jenkins continued to yell on the front porch of their residence before punching and breaking the glass pane to the front door. The man said there were no injuries as a result of the assault.

Winsor then spoke with the woman, who said she started to hear yelling and went outside to observe Jenkins yelling. The woman indicated that she told Jenkins to leave her property and attempted to pull the man inside her residence. Jenkins then aggressively grabbed his left arm, she said. She said she pushed Jenkins in an attempt to free the man, at which time Joseph grabbed her right arm. Winsor said the woman indicated that she then pushed Jenkins away again and pulled the man inside her residence.

The woman said Jenkins continued to yell while standing in front of the doorway, at which time she pushed him out of the doorway and closed the front door. She also said Jenkins punched the glass pane, according to Winsor.

SHOPLIFTING

Detectives Timothy Sasso and Thomas M. Dwyer responded to 139 Julien St. in Providence the evening of Feb. 3 to take custody of Michael A. Porreca, 62, of the above address, on an active Johnston Police warrant for two counts each of felony shoplifting and shoplifting as a habitual offender.

Porreca’s arrest stemmed from an alleged incident that took place the morning of Jan. 22. Patrolman Adam M. Parkinson responded to the Super Stop & Shop at 11 Commerce Way in reference to a report of shoplifting in progress. Parkinson said they met with the manager/complainant upon arrival.

The reporting party advised that, earlier that morning, he was alerted by his employee that a male suspect had entered and was presently in the store who he said was involved in a shoplifting on Jan. 22. The man visually tracked the suspect to the prescription/medication aisle and then surreptitiously watched him frantically grab boxes of medication off the rack and stuff them into a black bag.

Parkinson noted that it is believed the man grabbed numerous boxes of Advil liquid gelcaps, which are valued at either $11.49 or $16.79, due to them being the only rows in the display appearing absent of merchandise boxes. The man advised that the suspect then walked past all points of purchase and proceeded through the exit without paying. The reporting party said the suspect was confronted outside regarding the theft and attempted to verbally detain him, at which point a car came speeding up an aisle in the parking lot.

The reporting party said the suspect ran and entered the passenger-side door, and the man tried to follow behind him. The party said he jumped and grabbed on to the hood of the vehicle and was holding on to the same as he “tried to kick in the passenger-side window.”

The reporting party said the vehicle began to reverse at a high rate of speed at which time he jumped off and let go of the moving vehicle. Parkinson said the man advised that it then began to accelerate forward toward him, forcing him to jump out of the way or otherwise be struck. He observed the vehicle exit the parking lot at a high rate of speed last traveling southbound on Atwood Avenue.

The shoplifting that allegedly occurred several days prior had limited information and no report was actually taken, but the suspect was confirmed to be the same person. The reporting party indicated he had absconded with “$400 worth of Oil of O’Lay beauty products.”

The arrest warrant was prepared for Porreca a week later. Porreca advised detectives that he was at the Super Stop & Shop on both occasions where a male employee followed him out of the market. Dwyer said Porreca advised that he then got into his friend’s vehicle and left the scene. Dwyer noted that Porreca denied allegations of shoplifting from the business.

Dwyer said that, while at headquarters, a photograph of the jacket Porreca was wearing when getting transported was taken. Dwyer acknowledged that it matched the same described jacket Porreca had been wearing during both reported incidents.

SUSPENDED LICENSE

Patrolman Kevin W. Lyons was traveling north on Atwood Avenue on the evening of Feb. 6 when he observed an expired registration sticker on the vehicle in front of him.

Lyons said a RILETS check revealed the vehicle did not match its registration plates. Lyons initiated a motor vehicle stop at the Shell Gas Station at 1396 Hartford Ave. and identified the operator as Kristina Basler, 23, 1175 Atwood Ave., Johnston.

A further check revealed Basler’s license to be suspended. A VIN check on RILETS showed that the vehicle’s registration had been canceled. Basler was issued a summons for operation of a vehicle when registration is canceled and a Third Division District Court notice to appear on a charge of driving with a suspended license, first offense.