Providence Police Officers Arrested in Drug Sting
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2014 • Updated at 2:46 AM EST
(NECN:
Alysha Palumbo - Providence, RI) - Handcuffed and plain-clothed, two
Providence police officers were in court Friday morning facing serious
drug charges and allegations they abused their power.
44-year-old
Detective Joseph Colanduono of West Warwick is a federal drug
enforcement officer, who's been given the mayor's award for outstanding
police work.
33-year-old patrolman Robert Hamlin of East Providence is a school resource officer at Central High School.
Hamlin is accused of providing the alleged drug ring with inside information.
47-year-old
Sgt. Stephen Gonsalves of Providence did not have to appear in court
today, but is accused of buying cocaine and soliciting others to commit
crimes.
Gonsalves was a driver for Providence Mayor David Cicilline, and Golsalves' wife is Cicilline's executive assistant.
Providence
Police Col. Dean Esserman said, "Each officer was called into my
office, suspended immediately without pay and turned over to the state
police in my office where each was arrested."
State
police tapped the officers' cell phones, put GPS bugs on their cars and
after a four month long investigation they've charged them in this
alleged drug ring.
Captain
David Neill, RI State Police said, "Robert Hamlin was intercepted
telling his brother about the names, vehicles and descriptions of those
members working in the Providence Police narcotics unit."
Officer Hamlin's younger brother Albert is considered the leader of this alleged drug ring.
And two other men - Khalid Mason and Jameson Hassett - have been charged with being involved with the drug operation.
After
a search of a garage, and home tied to Hamlin, investigators recently
confiscated more than three ounces of cocaine and more than nine
thousand dollars in suspected drug money.
Providence
Mayor David Cicilline said, "To have violated the public's trust the
way these officers have does an incredible disservice to the entire
city, to the department, puts members of their own department - loyal,
hard-working members of the Providence Police Department - at risk.
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for commenting. You email address and IP Address has been recorded for future reference. any anonymous comment which is deemed abusive will be removed and investigated for further action.