Sunday, March 06, 2022
Providence police report making a half-dozen gun arrests in the city over the weekend so far. The battle against illegal guns is a type priority of the Providence Police Department.
Sunday
On Sunday shortly before 2:30 AM, police were patrolling the north end of the city when they observed a sedan with a brake light not functioning on Chalkstone Avenue. According to police, the vehicle then turned off its headlines and sped off towards Chad Brown. When police stopped the vehicle at Ruggles Street, they detected marijuana coming from the vehicle, and asked the driver — identified as Aiden Sullivan, age 23, if he had any firearms; Sullivan reportedly told police no. Police asked Sullivan to step outside the vehicle, and when patted down, was discovered to have a loaded gun on him. Police seized the gun; upon searching the vehicle, police found more ammunition, marijuana, and alcohol. Sullivan is facing charges including failure to have a permit to carry.
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Shortly before 2:30 AM on Sunday, police were on patrol near the Board Street CVS parking lot when they reported observing a vehicle obstructing traffic. Police said that upon conducting a motor vehicle stop — and detecting marijuana — that the driver, identified Gary Kerr, age 24, refused to leave the vehicle. When Kerr was removed, police reported finding a firearm on the floor beneath the driver’s seat, as well as ammunition, marijuana, and alcohol. Kerr was facing charges of failure to have a permit to carry.
Saturday
At approximately 3 AM Saturday morning, police were on routine patrol in the south side of the city due to the recent uptick in firearm-related incidents. Police said upon turning onto Ocean St, they saw three men standing next to a vehicle. The driver — later identified as Ary Matos, age 19 — reportedly was acting nervously and other occupants of the vehicle attempted to get out. Police said they performed a full pat-down of Matos and discovered a weighted object on Matos and immediately recognized it to be a firearm, which was later determined to be a ghost gun with a live round and loaded magazine. Matos is now facing gun charges.
Friday
Shortly before 9:30 PM Friday night, police were monitoring traffic at the intersection of Elmwood Avenue and Whitmarsh Street when they reported seeing a vehicle with no front plate operating at a high rate of speed — with the operator’s face to be covered with a full ski mask. Police were able to stop the vehicle at the Mobile Gas Station on Elmwood Avenue. The driver, identified as Kadeen Davis, age 31, was asked if he had any weapons on him, to which he told police he did. Police seized a loaded .9 mm from the vehicle; Davis faces charges of failure to have a permit to carry.
At approximately 2 PM on Friday, police on patrol in the area of the Lockwood Housing Projects and Rhode Island Hospital are — addressing an increase of complaints regarding larcenies from the motor vehicle — said they observed a suspicious male subject wearing a backpack and a mask walking in this area while looking inside unoccupied vehicles. Police approached and the subject identified as Benjamin Oliveira — age 44 — began acting nervously according to police; police searched Oliveria’s backpack and found a gun — with an obliterated serial number — as well as ammunition. Oliveria is facing weapons charges.
On Friday at 1 PM, police on routine patrol reported a vehicle with New York plates was blocking a driveway on Corinth Street. Police made contact with the operator of the vehicle, who was identified as Deluis Moreau, age 31, who said he was from Connecticut and he was in Providence waiting for his girlfriend outside of Club Levels. Police observed an open alcohol container in plain view, on the floor of the front passenger seat; Moreau was asked if he had anything else in the car, to which he said “no.” Moreau was asked to step out of the vehicle, and was asked if he had anything on him that police should know about. Moreau stated he had a concealed firearm on his right hip and had a concealed firearm permit in Connecticut. Police removed a loaded .9 mm; police noted that Moreau did not have his concealed carry permit on his person. Police seized the gun and Moreau faces weapons charges.