Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

By Amanda Milkovits
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A felon from Massachusetts accused of trying to shoot an undercover detective during a sting -- injuring himself instead -- was ordered held Monday afternoon on $200,000 bail with surety.

The line of stitches from the gunshot wound were visible along the left side of his neck, as Arjusz Roszkowski, 26, stood handcuffed before District Court Judge Michael Higgins and argued that the case against him was "all lies."

Assistant Attorney General Pamela Chin told the judge that Roszkowski had shot himself while struggling with the members of the state police SWAT team at Lincoln Woods on Nov. 6. Roszkowski had come to the state park to buy firearms to commit robberies, Chin said. The "seller" was undercover state police detective Christopher Zarrella, who noticed that Roszkowski arrived at the meeting with a 9mm handgun tucked in his waistband, she said.

Recognizing danger, Zarrella decided to "take down" Roszkowski, Chin said, and the SWAT team waiting yards away came running to back him up. During the struggle, Roszkowski had the gun underneath and fired upwards, she said. The bullet hit Roszkowski in the chin and went through his throat.

Roszkowski faces six felony charges: two counts of possession of a firearm after being convicted of a crime of violence; two counts of carrying a pistol without a license; use of a firearm while committing a crime; and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He entered no plea during his arraignment.

Chin called the North Reading man a possible "career criminal," adding that his criminal record was still being researched.

To which Roszkowski interjected: "I'm willing to talk to you about this. Most of that is just lies."

Roszkowski served time in New Hampshire State Prison for multiple robberies and larceny, getting paroled in 2003, and then returning in 2005 to serve six months on a parole violation, Jeff Lyons, a spokesman at the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, confirmed later. Roszkowski was turned over to federal jurisdiction after getting out of the New Hampshire prison in November 2005, but the reason wasn't immediately available.

 Tags  Arjusz Roszkowski courts Lincoln RI Lincoln Woods Providence RI state police

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