Providence man pleads no contest to break-ins across 7 communities

A Providence man accused of breaking into multiple homes across seven Rhode Island communities in 2012 will serve prison time after pleading no contest in Superior Court.

Jason Williams, 43, entered the plea on Sept. 29, according to a statement from the office of Attorney General Peter Kilmartin. He was facing multiple counts of breaking and entering.

As part of a plea agreement, Williams was sentenced to 25 years in prison, with eight to serve and the rest suspended with probation. He was also ordered to pay restitution to homeowners for stolen items.

Authorities say between February and October 2012, Williams broke into multiple homes in Cranston, Johnston, Burrillville, Lincoln, Narragansett, Richmond, and South Kingstown, stealing cash and jewelry. The investigation into the crimes was led by the Cranston Police Department with assistance from law enforcement in the other communities.

“Jason Williams was a one man crime spree,” Kilmartin said through the statement. “Through cooperation by police departments and old fashioned investigative efforts, Jason Williams was identified as the suspect and apprehended for his brazen crimes.”

“This sentence is the direct result of a tremendous effort by members of the Cranston Police Department to include Lt. Michael Pezzullo, Detective Jamie Cahill and Detective Baccari who worked in conjunction with multiple local police departments in Rhode Island,” Cranston Chief of Police Col. Michael Winquist said through the statement. “I also want to commend the prosecutors from the Attorney General’s Office who were instrumental in securing a lengthy jail sentence. Mr. Williams lengthy incarceration will ensure that he will be unable to victimize other homeowners for many years to come.”

Two indicted in Cranston robbery

Two men have been indicted in connection with the July robbery of Sam’s Food Store on Pontiac Avenue.

Richard Bueno, 19, of 62 Westwood Ave. in Cranston, and Jonathan O’Brien, 20, of 219 Tennyson Ave. in Warwick, each face one count of first-degree robbery, two counts of conspiracy, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of assault with intent to rob.

Bueno is additionally charged with one additional count each of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault with intent to rob.

The Providence County Grand Jury reported out the indictments last week. Both men are scheduled to be arraigned in Providence County Superior Court on Oct. 21.

According to the office of Attorney General Peter Kilmartin, Bueno on June 14 assaulted an employee of Sam’s Food Store during an attempted robbery. It is alleged Bueno and O’Brien on June 16 conspired to rob the store, and then assaulted the same employee during an attempted robbery. 

On July 7, the two men are charging with robbing the store. In a new release at the time, Cranston police said two suspects had entered Sam’s shortly after 11:30 p.m. on that date, with one brandishing a handgun and the other acting as a lookout. The suspects were said to have fled the scene on foot after taking approximately $150 in cash. 

After the heist, Cranston Officers Austin Smith and Patrick O’Malley quickly located two subjects – later identified as Bueno and O’Brien – matching the description provided by store employees along with evidence linking them to the robbery. Officers recovered cash in a plastic bag, a BB gun, bandanas, assorted clothing that was worn by the suspects during the robbery, as well as a box of cigars along the route that the suspects fled from the business.