ASSAULT WITH A DANGEROUS WEAPON

On Thursday, Feb. 20, a jury found a Warwick man guilty of four counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.

Stephen Shoesmith, 49, was the guilty party in a case that Attorney General Peter Neronha said could have been about murder charges if the circumstances were only slightly different.

Shoesmith fired two shots into a house on Lincoln Avenue. on Aug. 6, 2021. At the time, the house’s occupant and her three children were home. They were neighbors of Shoesmith.

While searching Shoesmith’s house as part of an unrelated arrest warrant on June 17, 2022, Warwick police found ammunition that had also been found at the scene of the crime, as well as the gun used. Shoesmith admitted to firing two shots out of his window toward his neighbor’s house while he was drunk, as well as planting one shell casing in front of his home in an attempt to avoid suspicion.

DRIVING WITH A SUSPENDED LICENSE

On Jan. 21 at 2:32 a.m., a Warwick police officer on patrol on Warwick Avenue noticed a car going 12 mph over the speed limit. The officer followed the car and pulled it over in the area of Quinn Funeral Home.

The driver, 30-year-old Joseph McCain of West Warwick, told the officer he was giving two friends a ride home from a friend’s house. He told the officer he believed that his license may have expired.

A check of McCain’s license showed that it was, in fact, suspended, and he had been caught driving with a suspended license three times in 2023.

McCain was arrested and charged with driving with a suspended license, fourth offense.

SHOPLIFTING

On Jan. 17 at 4:30 p.m., a Warwick police officer responded to the Target on Bald Hill Road for reports of a shoplifting in progress.

The suspect, 61-year-old Allen Vanleeuwen of Coventry, had reportedly concealed dog treats in his jacket before attempting to leave the store and being stopped by a Target employee. Vanleeuwen was reportedly compliant until 15 minutes later, when he reportedly stated “f--- this, I’m not waiting” and left the store in a blue Hyundai.

Other officers pulled Vanleeuwen over on Bald Hill Road. Reportedly, they found out that he was also driving on a suspended license, and had multiple previous offenses.

Vanleeuwen was arrested and charged with shoplifting and driving with a suspended license, fourth offense.

SHOPLIFTING

On Jan. 17 at 2:19 p.m., Warwick police officers responded to the Target on Bald Hill Road for reports of a shoplifting in progress.

The suspect, 55-year-old Amanda Bingham of South Kingstown, was shown on video surveillance not paying for items that she had checked out, including intentionally concealing unpaid items in a Target bag. Bingham had reportedly stolen $154 worth of items.

Bingham was arrested and charged with shoplifting.