SEXUAL ASSAULT SENTENCE

A Warwick man has been sentenced to serve 10 years at the Adult Correctional Institutions in connection with the sexual assault of a minor in 2016.

Sean Curran, 20, was sentenced July 30 by Superior Court Justice Daniel A. Procaccini. Earlier this year, Curran pleaded no contest to a charge of first-degree sexual assault and two counts each of video voyeurism and production of child pornography.

Curran’s sentence on the sexual assault charge, which totals 20 years, includes 10 years suspended with probation. He was additionally ordered to register as a sex offender and undergo sex offender counseling.

Curran received a three-year suspended sentence with three years of probation on the video voyeurism charges and a five-year suspended sentence with five years of probation on the child pornography charges. All of the sentences are to be served concurrently.

According to the office of Attorney General Peter F. Neronha, on multiple occasions in 2016, Curran “performed various sexual acts upon a 16-year-old while the minor victim was asleep and without the victim's knowledge.” He is additionally said to have recorded and stored the acts on his cell phone.

Detectives Christopher Lo and Gilda Fortier of the Warwick Police Department conducted the investigation into the case, while Special Assistant Attorney General Kaitlin Tracey prosecuted the case.

OFFICER PLEADS NOT GUILTY

A Warwick Police officer charged in connection with a July 14 road-rage incident pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Monday morning.

David Boardman, 27, of Cranston entered the plea to charges of vandalism and disorderly conduct in Third Division District Court. He was released on $2,000 personal recognizance, and a pretrial conference is scheduled for Aug. 26.

Boardman has been suspended since the July 14 incident, which occurred at approximately 1 a.m. near the intersection of routes 5 and 113 in Warwick. The officer – who was off duty at the time – is alleged to have broken another vehicle’s window.

PASTOR ARRAIGNED

A Coventry pastor facing drunk-driving charges in connection with a July crash involving a pedestrian has been released pending his next court appearance.

Jacek Ploch, 38, entered no plea to charges of driving under the influence and driving under the influence, serious bodily injury resulting, during his arraignment Thursday in Third Division District Court. He was released on $10,000 personal recognizance, with a screening scheduled for Sept. 23.

Ploch was arrested July 14 after Warwick Police responded to an accident involving a pedestrian on Airport Road. The pedestrian, identified by police as 38-year-old Jonathan Freeman of Warwick, was hospitalized with serious injuries. His condition was last listed as stable.

Ploch has served as pastor of two Catholic parishes in Coventry – St. Vincent de Paul since 2013, and Our Lady of Czenstochowa since 2017. He has been placed on administrative leave by the Diocese of Providence.

SCAM CALLS

Police are advising residents of a phone scam in which callers are falsely identifying themselves as Warwick officers.

In a Facebook statement on July 31, police said they received two reports of scam calls spoofing the department’s main number, 468-4200.

“In both cases [the callers] used the names and ranks of police officers that are actually employed with us,” the statement reads. “They tell the victim that they have an outstanding warrant for their arrest and instruct them to obtain either a pre-paid credit card or cashier’s check for a large sum of money in order to settle up the warrant. They also have some of the victim’s personal information like their home address, work address, etc., to make the scam more believable.”

Anyone receiving a phone call of this nature is asked to contact Warwick Police immediately.

SHOPLIFTING

At approximately 6:37 p.m. on July 13, Officer Oliver M. Pinheiro responded to the Walmart at 650 Bald Hill Road for a report of a shoplifting in progress. Dispatch subsequently advised that the suspect in the incident had stolen a trampoline and left the scene in a red pickup truck.

Another officer was able to stop the pickup truck at the intersection of Bald Hill Road and East Avenue, and Pinheiro responded to that location.

Pinheiro reports observing an unopened trampoline box in the truck’s bed, and notes that the male passenger in the vehicle matched the description of the suspect. The vehicle also contained the male driver and a female passenger.

A loss prevention associate from Walmart was brought to the location of the motor vehicle stop and identified the two passengers as having been involved in the shoplifting incident. The trampoline, valued at $209, was recovered.

Brian J. Gravier, 40, 17 Claire St., West Warwick, and Donna Bowen, 57, 4203 Mulhearn Drive, Coventry, were each arrested on a charge of shoplifting and transported to Warwick Police headquarters for processing.

Gravier, who was additionally charged with shoplifting as a habitual offender, was held pending an appearance before a bail commissioner. Bowen was released with a summons to appear in Third Division District Court.

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On July 13 at approximately 10:16 p.m., Officer Kevin P. Warren responded to the Macy’s location at Warwick Mall for a report of shoplifting. At the scene, a loss prevention associate at the store told Warren she had observed a woman entering a fitting room with roughly 17 children’s items. After the woman left the fitting room, a check revealed a number of empty hangers. The woman was then observed passing all points of purchase and exiting the store.

The loss prevention associate then met the woman and escorted her back into the store. At that point, seven clothing items with a combined value of $155.50 were recovered.

Sheila L. Jett, 27, 6 Whitman St., Smithfield, was arrested on a charge of shoplifting and transported to Warwick Police headquarters for processing. She was later released with a summons to appear in Third Division District Court.

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Just after 11 a.m. on July 27, Officer Oliver M. Pinheiro responded to the Walmart at 650 Bald Hill Road for a report of a shoplifting in progress. While en route to the scene, dispatch advised that loss prevention personnel at the store had the suspect in custody.

Upon arrival, a loss prevention associate told Pinheiro that a man had been observed selecting multiple items – including two car batteries, two black boxes and car lights – from the automotive department, as well as clothing from the men’s department. The man then proceeded to the lawn and garden area and attempting to exit the store, passing all points of purchase. A total of $306 worth of merchandise was recovered.

Joshua Olsen, 30, 15 Broad St., Coventry, was arrested on charges of shoplifting and shoplifting as a habitual offender and transported to Warwick Police headquarters for processing. After an appearance before a bail commissioner, he was released with a summons to appear in Third Division District Court.

SUSPENDED LICENSE

Shortly before 9 p.m. on July 23, Officer Derek Mourato observed a vehicle with all of its windows tinted enter Route 37 westbound from Interstate 95 south. A records check is said to have found that the registration plates did not match the vehicle.

Mourato initiated a motor vehicle stop and made contact with the operator. Additional checks found the vehicle was unregistered and that the operator’s license was suspended. The operator also had multiple previous convictions for driving with a suspended license.

Jason R. Catoni, 39, 112 Auburn St., first floor, Cranston, was arrested on a charge of driving with a suspended license, third or subsequent offense, and transported to Warwick Police headquarters for processing. He was later released with a summons to appear in Third Division District Court. He was additionally cited for operation of an unregistered motor vehicle.