Unlicensed Firearm Charge in Providence RI

Criminal Charges:

Young man charged in the Rhode Island Superior Court (Providence County) for:

• Carrying a Pistol without a License, in violation of R.I.G.L. § 11-47-8 (a)
• Obstructing Officer in Execution of Duty, in violation of R.I.G.L. § 11-32-1

Case Overview:

While on routine patrol, two Providence Police Officers observed two young males, one on foot and one on a bicycle, traveling towards them on the sidewalk.  Upon approaching the police cruiser, the officers noticed one of the men make stealthy gestures towards his waistband and then adjust his fanny pack.  After these observations, the officers drove their police cruiser up next to the men to speak with them and investigate further.  As the officers began to exit the vehicle, both men ran off in opposite directions.  The officers pursued the man who fled on foot.  Once they caught up with him, they placed the man in handcuffs.  A search of his person yielded the discovery of a firearm in his waistband.  Police seized the firearm and placed the man under arrest for Carrying a Pistol without a License and Obstructing Officer in Execution of Duty.  He was eventually charged in Rhode Island Superior Court (Providence County).  The man and his family hired Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer, John L. Calcagni III, to defend him in this matter.  

Case Result: Suspended Sentence.

Attorney Calcagni worked quickly to file a motion to suppress the charges on the man’s behalf.  Unfortunately, after a hearing, the motion was denied.  Attorney Calcagni and his team then worked to submit a mitigation packet to the prosecutor and the judge citing the man’s lack of criminal history, young age, stable home environment, employment history, and permit to own (not carry) the firearm in question.  After many pretrial negotiations, Attorney Calcagni and his team successfully persuaded the prosecutor and judge to resolve this case with a 4-year suspended sentence and no actual jail time.