Warwick City Councilwoman Donna Travis pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges that she filed a false document connected to the illicit acquisition of a next-door slice of Oakland Beach Real Estate Association property.

Travis and her attorney refused comment as they exited the District Court building on Quaker Lane.

Her husband, William Travis, will not face charges, according to Brian Hodge, spokesman for Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha’s office.

“No,” Hodge said Tuesday morning. “Today’s proceeding resolves the matter.”

Donna Travis, who has served as the Ward 6 councilwoman for 30 years and is not seeking reelection, was sentenced to one year, suspended sentence and one year of probation.

According to the AG’s office, the charge stemmed from a RISP “investigation into allegations involving the Councilwoman’s transfer of property from the Oakland Beach (Real Estate) Association.”

Travis stood before District Court Judge J. Terence Houlihan Jr. in her arraignment on a single misdemeanor count Tuesday morning.

Travis, 74, of 733 Oakland Beach Ave., Warwick, is a more than three-decade member of the Oakland Beach Association and represents Ward 6 on Warwick City Council (the ward that includes Oakland Beach). She spoke very little during Tuesday morning’s court proceedings.

Travis entered a plea of nolo contendere. That means, as a defendant, Travis does not accept or deny responsibility for the charges. She waives her right to a trial and agrees to accept the penalty levied by the judge.

Houlihan addressed Travis and her attorney, reading aloud the single charge of providing a false document to a public official.

“Counsel, to the misdemeanor charge, how does your client plead?” Houlihan asked.

Defense attorney Robert Flaherty replied, “Nolo contendere.”

According to Hodge, “in Rhode Island, a nolo plea is equivalent to a plea of guilty.”

Houlihan asked Travis if she understood that she was waiving her right to a trial, and everything that comes with that right, from confronting the witnesses against her, to calling witnesses of her own. She was also waiving her right to appeal the decision.

Travis indicated that she understood.

Special Assistant Attorney General Alison Bittl addressed the court, and told Judge Houlihan that had the case proceeded to trial, the prosecution was ready to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

Prosecutors allege that on Aug. 16, 2021, Travis, “knowingly submitted a quitclaim deed dated Aug. 14, 2021, to the City of Warwick, which contained false information.”

“The defendant intended to mislead the City of Warwick with the filing of that quitclaim deed, more specifically a lot located at 735 Oakland Beach Ave.,” Bittl told the judge. The land had been previously donated to the Oakland Beach Real Estate Owners Association in 1937, according to Bittl, and the Oakland Beach Association remained the “sole owner until Aug. 16, 2021.”

Travis and her husband, William Travis, lived next door, at 733 Oakland Beach Ave., “which was adjacent to the lot located at 735,” Bittl told the court. “Through an investigation by Rhode Island State Police (RISP), the state obtained the Association’s bylaws, which provided that no property of the Association shall be sold or conveyed unless” a majority of the voters agreed at a legal meeting of the association.

According to the prosecution, RISP detectives interviewed several members of the association, including the 2021 officers, and obtained Oakland Beach Association meeting minutes.

“Through the investigation it was learned that there was no meeting or vote that took place to convey the lot at 735 Oakland Beach Ave.,” Bittl told the court. “The records also reflect the sale price at the time of this quitclaim deed was for zero dollars.”

The deed was also allegedly signed by an individual who was not an officer of the association at the time, according to Bittl. “And the city’s records indicated that Donna Travis paid a recording fee of $85 that same morning.”

“Given that there was no vote on the conveyance of 735 Oakland Beach Ave. by the association members … the information on that quitclaim deed (that) conveyed the property to Donna and William Travis was false and in violation of Rhode Island General Laws,” Bittl told the judge.

Houlihan turned slightly to his right to address Travis.

“Do agree that this charge could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt?” He asked.

“It could be, I guess, your Honor,” Travis answered.

“No,” Houlihan said, rejecting Travis’s reply. “We can’t guess in a courtroom.”

“Then it could be,” Travis answered, quietly.

The judge moved on, discussing the defendant’s sentence.

Flaherty told the judge that the prosecution had agreed to make the suspended sentence and year of probation run concurrently (at the same time).

Travis also agreed to “will convey the property back to the association.”

Flaherty, her defense attorney, told the judge that Travis plans to “pursue the collection of the funds that she paid” for the land. Travis had argued that she paid the taxes on the plot and also handled its upkeep.

“The victim’s going to reimburse the defendant,” Flaherty told the judge.

"I can’t impose upon them," Houlihan replied.

Following the proceedings, Hodge confirmed that “there was no agreement to repay Travis any of the taxes, etc.”

Call for Resignation

On Wednesday morning, Ward 9 Warwick City Councilman Vinny Gebhart issued a call for Travis to step down from some of her current positions within the city’s Democratic Party.

“Ms. Travis has served the Warwick community for many years,” Gebhart said. “However, it is with deep regret and disappointment that I acknowledge her recent actions, which have led to charges and a guilty plea for submitting false information to the City of Warwick. Additionally, Ms. Travis betrayed the trust of the Oakland Beach Association by wrongfully claiming ownership of a property to which she was not entitled for her own personal gain. The integrity of our city government and the trust of our community members are paramount. While Ms. Travis' long service to our city is recognized, this serious lapse in judgment and failure to uphold her duties as a member of the City Council cannot go unnoticed. We hold all our public officials to the highest standards of honesty and integrity, and actions that undermine these values are unacceptable.”

Travis serves as head of the city’s Democrats.

“In light of these events, it is imperative that Councilwoman Travis resign her post as Chairwoman of the City of Warwick Democratic Party,” Gebhart wrote in the statement he circulated Wednesday. “Furthermore, I urge my colleagues in the Democratic Caucus to immediately vote to remove Ms. Travis as Pro Tempore of the City Council. I am committed to maintaining transparency, accountability, and trust with our residents. We will continue to work diligently to ensure that all members of our government act in the best interests of our community. I understand that this news may be disappointing to many who have placed their trust in Councilwoman Travis. I will take all necessary actions to address this matter and uphold the standards expected of our elected officials.”