Johnston Police Log, April 7, 2022

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EDITOR'S NOTE: The following police log information has been taken from public record police incident reports provided by the Johnston Police Department.

CHILD MOLESTATION

On March 30, the Statewide Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Andrew Hardy, 55, of Johnston, with one count of First-degree Child Molestation, three counts of Second-degree Child Molestation, two counts of Indecent Solicitation of a Minor, and one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, according to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office.

“The alleged acts occurred in the town of Johnston on various dates between May 1, 2018, and July 11, 2019,” according to a press release from Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha’s Office. “The Rhode Island State Police conducted the investigation.”

Hardy is scheduled to be arraigned on April 20 in Providence County Superior Court.

ELDER ASSAULT

At 10:26 a.m., March 28, Johnston Police Officer David K. Chen was dispatched to 51 Taylor Road for an assault investigation.

Upon arrival, Chen spoke to the victim who said his landlord, Louis P. Caparrelli, of 51 Taylor Road, Johnston, came to his residence and requested that he vacate the property.

The victim told Caparrelli “that he was the legal resident of the trailer home and that if Caparrelli wanted to evict him from the property he needed to go through civil court,” Chen wrote in the incident report. The victim told police that Caparrelli “struck him in the head with a closed fist and threw him down to the floor.”

Chen noted that he observed “an injury consistent with the alleged assault, as there was blood coming from his right ear and facial area.” The victim also had “blood coming from an abrasion on his neck.”

The victim was over 60 years old, “enhancing the assault to a felony,” Chen wrote in the incident report.

“Based on the totality of the circumstance, there was probable cause to charge Caparrelli with assault on a person over the age of 60 with bodily injury,” Chen wrote.

The victim told police he wanted to pursue criminal charges.

Chen responded to Caparrelli’s home, next door.

“Upon arrival, I observed Caparrelli standing outside in the front yard,” Chen wrote. “I advised Caparrelli why the police were on scene and ordered him to place his hands behind his back, and he was compliant.”

Caparrelli was arrested.

“During the arrest procedures, Caparrelli made a spontaneous utterance, without having been questioned, as he said, ‘I’m the landlord, I told him he had to leave!’” Chen wrote. “This utterance confirms that Caparrelli was at the scene of the crime when (the victim) was assaulted, and that he had an argument with (the victim) regarding forced eviction.”

Chen also noted in the report that Caparrelli had a bandage on his right hand.

Caparrelli was transported to Police Headquarters where he was searched, processed, secured in a cell and then transported to Third District Court. He was charged with Assault on a Person Over 60 Causing Bodily Injury, a felony, and Disorderly Conduct, a misdemeanor.

ASSAULT & BATTERY

Around 5:50 p.m., March 10, Johnston Police responded to Sheridan Street for the report of a man brandishing a handgun after a road rage incident.

The alleged victim at the scene told police that a blue sedan, with heavy window tint, bearing RI passenger plates (the victim caught a partial plate number), drove through a stop sign on Delmont Avenue at Sheridan Street and almost struck his vehicle.

The victim said that he reminded the driver of the stop sign and told him to slow down, but the driver exited his vehicle and went into the trunk. The driver then drove up to the victim and brandished a black handgun and asked, “What do you wanna do?” in a threatening tone with the window down.

The suspect left the scene and took a left onto George Waterman Road.

Johnston Police Officer Cody Weaver asked the victim if they had had any prior contact with the man, and they said no, but they could identify him if they saw him again.

Police were able to match the vehicle and description to a man who lives nearby, Ronny Sanford, of 28 Lafayette St., Johnston. Officers responded to Sanford’s home in an attempt to meet with him. His vehicle was parked in front of the house.

Police were unable to find Sanford, so they transported the victim to the address where he positively identified Sanford’s vehicle as the suspect’s.

Sanford’s parents told police that he had left the house on foot prior to their arrival.

The victim told police he would like to pursue criminal charges. Police checked DMV records and discovered Sanford’s vehicle registration was canceled. The vehicle was towed from the scene to Johnston Police Headquarters.

Emergency dispatch personnel broadcasted a BOLO (Be On the Look-Out) to surrounding agencies for Sanford, who was wanted for questioning and may be in possession of a firearm.

The investigation was turned over to the Johnston Police Detective Division.

Sanford was eventually located, arrested and arraigned on March 17. Sanford was charged with Assault & Battery – Dangerous Weapon and Carrying a Pistol Without a License. He also faces a misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct charge. Surety bail was set at $10,000, according to Johnston Police.

Sanford was “presented as a District Court bail violator on two cases,” according to Johnston Police.

BENCH WARRANTS

Around noon, March 8, Johnston Police Officer Nick J. Bordieri was on a fixed post at 21 Greenville Ave., when he observed a black Acura TSX traveling north with heavily tinted windows, no front registration plate and an expired inspection sticker.

Bordieri initiated a traffic stop near 83 Greenville Ave. and identified the driver as Kelvin Belliard, of 672 Prairie Ave., Apt. 619, Providence.

Rhode Island DMV checks revealed the vehicle registration was suspended and a criminal background check revealed Belliard had three active bench warrants out of Superior Court for failing to appear in court for restitution payment hearings.

Belliard was arrested and transported back to headquarters, processed and allowed to make a phone call. He was cited with Operation of Vehicle when Registration is Suspended and Violation of Inspection Laws. He was transported to Superior Court.

SUSPENDED LICENSE

Around 5:30 p.m., March 8, Johnston Police Officer Thomas Santurri was on a fixed post at 1074 Plainfield St., when he observed a silver Jeep Laredo travel past westbound without a front registration plate affixed.

Santurri detained the vehicle near the intersection of Plainfield and Walnut streets and made contact with the driver, identified as Jolanna L. Prout, of 48 Pinehurst Ave., Apt. 1, Providence.

A criminal background check revealed that Prout had an active arrest warrant from the Woonsocket Police Department for Vandalism. She was taken into custody and transported to police headquarters where she was processed and later turned over to Woonsocket Police.

Prout was also issued a District Court notice to appear on a charge of Driving with a Suspended License (first offense), and a Johnston Municipal Court summons for Display of Plates.

SHOPLIFTING

At 1:40 a.m., March 29, Johnston Police Officer Thomas Pederzani responded to the State Police Lincoln Barracks to pick up David Jordan Laurie, who was wanted by the Johnston Police Department for shoplifting. Laurie was transported to Johnston Police Headquarters, processed, permitted to make a phone call, and secured in a cell.

Laurie has given police two addresses —32 Widow Smith Road, Chepachet, and 3 John St., Smithfield. On March 7, Johnston Police had responded to a Johnston store to investigate a reported shoplifting incident that occurred on March 2.

A loss prevention officer at the store told police that Laurie had entered the business pushing an empty shopping carriage. He allegedly steered the cart toward the electrical department where he placed six rolls of electrical wire inside and was captured on video surveillance walking past all points of purchase without attempting to pay for the items, valued at $915.84, according to the police incident report.

Although the suspect was wearing a facial mask, a large tattoo was clearly visible on the suspect’s neck, and two other “tips (tattoos)” could be seen on his left hand. The suspect on video “also had several similarities to David Laurie,” including his beard, eyes and body structure.

Police also reviewed video footage of the suspect allegedly loading the stolen wire into a dark gray Toyota with aluminum wheels. Police note in the report that one of Laurie’s alleged associates was suspected in previous shoplifting incidents on Jan. 31 and March 1, when rolls of wire were stolen, and then placed in a gray Toyota sedan. Police said the vehicle was “operated by another repeat offender who he identified as David Laurie.”

The owner of the vehicle was contacted and responded to police headquarters. Johnston Police said the vehicle owner said she loaned the vehicle to Laurie. She identified the vehicle and Laurie in surveillance images, according to police.

Police had tried to locate Laurie previously, but were unsuccessful. Police said, prior to the most recent incident, Laurie had “five previous charges” on his record, including previous shoplifting and conspiracy charges.

Johnston Police filed misdemeanor Shoplifting charges against Laurie

SIMPLE ASSAULT

At 5:05 p.m., Jan. 11, an alleged assault victim stopped by Johnston Police Headquarters to report a disturbance that had just taken place in the parking lot of Market Basket, 1300 Hartford Ave.

The victim told police she was followed into the parking lot by a woman, who approached her after she exited her vehicle. The victim told police that the woman said, “I’ve been waiting for this,” and proceeded to pull her hair and punch her. She told police she was punched on the left side of her face and body several times during the assault, and was bitten on her left ring finger, causing her nail to break.

The victim told police she shouted at the woman that she was calling police, which caused her to get back into her car and flee the area.

Police had been previously dispatched to the parking lot of Market Basket to investigate a reported argument between two unknown females, but found nothing at the time.

The alleged attacker was identified as Issa Guzman, of 138 Whitmarsh St., Apt. 11, Providence.

The victim told police that she wished to pursue a criminal complaint against Guzman. Police photographed the victim’s injuries.

“It should be noted that Market Basket does have video surveillance of the parking lot, however it is unknown if the incident was captured on video surveillance,” Johnston Police Officer Derrick Palazzo wrote in the incident report. “This incident will be forwarded to the Detective Division for a follow-up investigation.”

Police issued arrest warrants for Guzman on misdemeanor charges of Simple Assault or Battery and Disorderly Conduct.

At 5:23 p.m., March 15, Johnston Police responded to the East Providence Police Department to take custody of Guzman, who was transported back to Johnston Police Headquarters, searched, processed and secured in a cell. By 6:17 p.m. that day, Guzman was released with a District Court Summons to appear on April 4.

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