FRAUD

On July 23, Johnston Police took custody of a Warwick man wanted on fraud-related charges.

Around 7:40 p.m., June 1, a woman walked into Johnston Police Headquarters in reference to a fraud complaint. She had recently filed a police report in North Providence, because her “nephew’s friend” had allegedly “stolen her bank card from her purse and used it without her permission,” according to the arrest report.

The victim also recently discovered that her Home Depot credit card was also missing from her wallet.

“At that time (the victim) contacted the Home Depot located … at 100 Stone Hill Drive (Johnston) to inquire about charges on her account,” wrote Johnston Patrolman Thomas Pederzani.

The store notified her of around $4,000 in charges. The latest charge on the account occurred May 19, for $1,631.55 for an air-conditioning unit.

The victim told police she wanted to pursue a criminal complaint. The case was forwarded to the Johnston Police Detective Division for further investigation.

Johnston Police Detective Michael A. Protano reviewed the case and spoke to the victim.

Police tracked the card to another incident and eventually discovered store surveillance footage of the incident. They also determined the suspect may be using an accomplice. Police eventually obtained a photograph of the suspect and posted it on their Facebook page. They later received an anonymous tip identifying the suspect.

JPD issued an arrest warrant — for charges of Obtaining Property By False Pretenses, Fraudulent Use of Credit Card and Conspiracy — for the suspect, who they identified as Michael Alex Gonzalez, 32, of 122 Central St., Warwick.

On July 23, Providence Police arrested Gonzalez and transferred the prisoner to Johnston Police.

Eyes in the sky Did you spot choppers hovering across the Warwick skyline on Monday? “Just a reminder that Scorsese isn’t filming a remake of Goodfellas,” Warwick PD joked online. “The low flying helicopters (are) for inspecting the poles and wires.” Warwick Police notified the public that an increase in helicopter traffic over the city was due to power line inspections. “Helicopters will be in the Warwick area all week inspecting the power lines,” according to a post on the WPD Facebook page. “Dispatch is aware of this so there’s no need to call in and remind them. If this was a emergency situation a Code Red alert would have been sent out via cell phones providers.” Warwick Police said the “helicopters will be flying at approximately 125-150 feet above ground level and will stop momentarily at each tower.” “The helicopter will be required to make two passes, each on opposite sides of the track to eliminate blind spots during our inspection process,” according to police. “The helicopter may also be seen traveling from one location to another or surveying the route.”

DRUG ARREST

Around 6 p.m., June 10, Warwick Police Officer Derek J. Hagopian was on routine patrol in an unmarked cruiser traveling south on Post Road near the intersection with Airport Road when he spotted a vehicle change lanes illegally.

“Based on the laned roadway violation observed, I conducted a check of the Nissan SUV’s registration plate using the MDT (Mobile Data Terminal) in my patrol unit,” Hagopian wrote. “Upon doing so, I observed that the registration plate affixed to the rear was registered to a red 2006 Dodge. The registration plates affixed to the rear of the yellow Nissan SUV did not match DMV data.”

Hagopian followed the SUV south and then initiated a traffic stop.

He spoke to the man driving the SUV; a woman was in the passenger seat.

“After this, the female began to murmur and began speaking erratically in an apparent attempt to explain the ownership and status of the yellow Nissan in question,” Hagopian wrote in the arrest report.

She gave police the name of a man she claimed was the owner, but said she didn’t know to whom the registration plates belonged.

The driver sat “nearly silent during the initial encounter.”

“The female was speaking rapidly and her thoughts were disorganized,” Hagopian wrote. “I also observed that her upper lip had noticeable scarring. Based on my training and experience, I know that this is a possible sign that an individual utilizes a glass pipe to smoke narcotics.”

Police identified the driver as Harold D. Nicholson, 57, of Providence, and the passenger as Melissa Lyn Rathier, 36, of 150 Greenville Ave., Apt. 110, Johnston.

Nicholson told police that he did not have a valid driver’s license.

Hagopian requested a second police unit on the scene to assist.

Police discovered the SUV registration was cancelled.

“I also discovered that Rathier has a previous recent arrest for Possession of a Schedule I through V Controlled Substance,” Hagopian wrote. “Nicholson also had several possession charges in his RI BCI.”

Police asked the driver to take the keys out of the ignition and step out of the vehicle. He complied.

Nicholson allegedly told police that he knew nothing about the vehicle and was behind the wheel because he was just “driving her.”

“I asked Nicholson where he and Rathier were coming from, to which he began looking around and did not initially provide a clear answer,” Hagopian wrote. “Based on my training and experience, I believed that Nicholson was stalling and attempting to avoid giving an answer.”

Ultimately the driver told police that they were coming from Johnston.

“I asked where exactly in Johnston,” Hagopian said. “Nicholson did not seem to know. He began looking around and shrugging his shoulders, then hesitantly stated ‘Greenville Ave’.”

Police asked the driver if there were any drugs in the car. He allegedly answered: “I just drove I have no idea.”

Police asked the passenger if she had any drugs. She allegedly answered: “I don’t think so.”

Police searched Rathier and discovered a “white crystallized substance on her person, which was seized and suspected to be illegal narcotics.”

She was handcuffed and taken into custody.

Warwick Police Officer Jessica L. Masso said a crack pipe was found under the passenger seat where Rathier was sitting.

“Rathier advised she had marijuana tucked in ‘her breast,’” Masso wrote in her supplemental narrative to the arrest report. “Rathier then said marijuana is legal. I asked why she would hide marijuana in her bra since it was legal. Rathier said she uses marijuana for her anxiety and always keeps it there.”

Rathier allegedly handed two plastic baggies to police; one containing a green leafy substance with a white crystalized substance spread throughout, and another with two with crystal “rock” formations inside. Police suspected the white substance was likely crack cocaine or crystal methamphetamine (it eventually tested positive for crack and weighed 1 gram, according to police).

Police determined Rathier would be charged with Possession of a Schedule I through V Controlled Substance. She was transported to Warwick Police headquarters.

Police searched the vehicle and say they found “numerous drug paraphernalia items.” The vehicle was towed from the scene.

Police discovered the driver had previously been convicted of Driving with an Expired (or Without) License on three prior occasions, so he was taken into custody and transported back to Warwick Police headquarters.

The bag containing the “suspected mixture of marijuana and crack cocaine” was sent out for a toxicology report and testing.

Warwick police officer charged with simple assault

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha and Warwick Police Chief Col. Bradford E. Connor announced last week that a Warwick Police officer has been charged in Third Division District Court with simple assault stemming from an incident on July 15.

On July 27, Warwick Police Sgt. Britton Kelly, 55, was charged by Warwick Police with one count of simple assault. Kelly was arraigned and released on $1,000 personal recognizance, according to a joint press release from the AG and WPD. The Court also issued a No Contact Order with the victim.

“As alleged, on July 15 … officers from the Warwick Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance on Amsterdam Avenue in Warwick,” according to the press release. “Officers arrested a female suspect for her role in the domestic incident. During her arrest, the female suspect’s husband, Ryan York, intervened and attempted to physically pull one of the officers away from her. Officers then arrested Mr. York and placed him in the rear of a police vehicle.”

The alleged assault occurred after York was in custody.

“As further alleged, a short time later Sgt. Kelly proceeded to the rear of the vehicle where Mr. York was handcuffed and restrained in his seatbelt and kicked him in the head,” according to the press release. “It is alleged that Sgt. Kelly then struck Mr. York in the face before forcibly removing him from the rear of the vehicle.”

The Warwick Police Department reported the incident to the Office of the Attorney General and the matter was jointly investigated by the Warwick Police Department and the Office pursuant to the Attorney General’s Protocol for the Review of Incidents Involving the Use of Deadly Force, Excessive Force and Custodial Death.

Kelly is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on Aug. 10 in Third Division District Court.