Update: Providence police arraigned in drug case
2:40 PM Fri, Mar 05, 2010 | Permalink
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By Amanda Milkovits and Thomas J. Morgan PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Two suspended Providence police officers and three other suspects in an alleged drug ring were ordered held without bail Friday pending a hearing on March 18. Brought before Judge Michael A. Higgins in Providence District Court were Detective Joseph A. Colanduono, 44, a narcotics detective assigned to the Narcotics and Organized Crime Bureau, charged with conspiracy to deliver cocaine, compounding and concealing a felony, and felony larceny; Patrolman Robert J. "Rob" Hamlin Jr., 33, a resource officer at Central High School, conspiracy to deliver cocaine; and Jameson Hassett, 24, of 41 Sargent Ave., conspiracy; and Khalid Mason, 334, of 433 Hunt St., Central Falls, possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to deliver it, and conspiracy. Hamlin's brother, Albert Hamlin, 28, of 20 Ridgeway Ave., was arraigned Friday afternoon. He was charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to deliver it, conspiracy to deliver cocaine, and one count of conspiracy to deliver steroids. Because the charges are felonies, no pleas were entered at the District Court level. The cases will be decided in Superior Court. A third officer, Sgt. Stephen T. Gonsalves, a former driver for Mayor David N. Cicilline and husband of the mayor's executive assistant, was released by a bail commissioner Thursday evening pending arraignment in Superior Court May 13. As Colanduono was led away in handcuffs, his wife, Tracey Colanduono, shed tears and said, "I believe my husband is innocent." This story was first posted at 11:30 a.m. and updated at 2:40 p.m. The suspects were taken into custody Thursday after state police conducted a four-month investigation codenamed Operation Deception. Capt. David S. Neill, commander of state police detectives, said on Thursday that officers monitoring cell phones overheard Robert Hamlin advising his brother Albert of names of the members of the narcotics bureau in the Providence Police Department to ensure his protection and "facilitate the lucrative cocaine distribution." He said that Albert Hamlin would obtain kilos of cocaine valued at $35,000 each and would break the drug into smaller quantities and sell it on the street for a total of $100,000. He called Albert Hamlin "the main person" in the ring. Neil said that Detective Colanduono facilitated the drug transactions by Albert Hamlin. They then went to another residence belonging to the suspect, on Salmon Street, where they seized 125 grams of crack cocaine, police reported.
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Does the Providence Police department not have a physical wellness program? I don't think this guy could chase down a criminal if he life depended on it.
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It’s a shame that the lapse of self control and the easy money would taint all the honest, hard working, and caring Police Officers out there. These 3 are in the minority, but when things like this are discovered it’s so easy to say all the police are bad. They aren’t everyone knows that. I just wish these three idiots would have thought a little harder and longer before getting into this easy money business of drugs. Easy, fast money, or a normal happy family and life. It’s not worth it…....
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are you serious right now..?!?!? thats my schools cop. why on earth would you put that picture of him on the front page of the website!! clearly hes already been humiliated the poor man has lost his job, his pension, his right to smile at this point! take that down! everyone in my school has been looking at it. officer rob is a good man and he dosent deserve this type of abuse! no matter what the crime.
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This is a bad issue these days
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I was never a fan of schools having a "Resource Officer assinged to them. You are preaching zero tolerence for weapons and drugs. Hummmmm
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What is the quote about Caesar's wife? The tragedy here is yet to cpme. It will be the public's loss of trust in the Providence Police Department.
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"A third officer, Sgt. Stephen T. Gonsalves, a former driver for Mayor David N. Cicilline and husband of the mayor's executive assistant, was released by a bail commissioner Thursday evening pending arraignment in Superior Court May 13."
Many people live in Providence, but not everyone gets to be the driver for the mayor, and hence walk free with no bail when bad things happen.
Just another in a long list of things wrong with the capital city.
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Hamlin was a school resource officer. He spent his time at schools protecting children, among his responsibilities were to disseminate information to students regarding the DARE program.
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Remember this is who we pay our tax dollars to.The police officers, What a shame...
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Fine folks of Providence - this is the tip of the proverbial iceberg. You ain't seen nuthin' yet!
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Hamlin, Colanduono and Gonsalves have (if found guilty) lost their pensions, freedom and families. Nobody is above the law. I feel for Gonsalves brother William. He is a fine man and a good cop.
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Any good work Officer Hamlin did will be looked upon as hypocrisy by any kids he was able to convince not to get involved with drugs, gangs, etc. by serving as a role model. So very sad!!
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Every profession has its bad apples. There are plenty of nurses, teachers, doctors or priests who break the law every day. We don't generalize about them and it is unfair to generalize about the rest of the police dept. There are plenty of hardworking police officers on that dept that risk their lives every day. Please take into consideration those officers and their families before you comment negatively and generalize about the whole department. Also, I find it ridiculous that any news source would look to Buddy Cianci, a convicted felon, as a News Correspondent. He is just as hypocritical as those officers involved. He broke the law too while being trusted to uphold it, and is no better than them...
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It just shows that “NO ONE” is above the law. And this time it only took three to ruin it for the rest of the hard working men and women of the Providence Police Department. We should all remember that they are still not guilty until that have had their day in court, but it is unfair that two of them have to sit in the ACI and the former driver and husband to the executive assistant to the mayor is walking around free at this time. This will be one to watch, it just seems that Providence cannot get out of the spotlight of corruption.
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-oh you poor thing. i say lock him up..he is looking for symathy in all the wrong place. he should not be enalbed from no one..the wanna be didn't work. greetie and ya got court::::::
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