June 6, 2008

Rhode Island Politics

Cicilline & Bevilacqua Cop a Plea

Marc Comtois

It's kinda big news when the brother of the Mayor of Providence pleads guilty to corruption, no?

Lawyers John M. Cicilline, the brother of Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, and Joseph A. Bevilacqua Jr. pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston this morning along with former legal assistant Lisa Torres to charges involving a $150,000 scheme to shake down drug dealers to manipulate the criminal-justice system.

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Cicilline pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements to federal authorities.

The indictment charged that the lawyers conspired with legal assistants [Juan A.] Giraldo and Torres to provide the authorities with information about other drug dealers, which would then be used to bargain for more lenient sentences for their clients.

In return, the indictment said, a husband and wife whom Cicilline and Bevilacqua defended in a federal drug and money-laundering case in Boston, John and Jacqueline Mendonca, allegedly paid them $115,000 between late 2002 and early 2004. The indictment says that the remaining $35,000 sought was never paid.

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Too bad this didn't go to trial.Liz Torres' testimony might have been very interesting and reached out further than the immediate defendants,but we won't get to know that will we?

Posted by: joe bernstein at June 6, 2008 5:21 PM

I wonder if the defendants thought they had a better chance of getting away with this fairly nasty crime because of a presumed lack of sympathy for the victims (who were criminals)?

Posted by: Monique at June 6, 2008 9:16 PM
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