Police Log: May 13 to May 16

Marijuana arrest:

Sgt. David C. Alverson Jr. and Det. Lt. Frank Levesque were on patrol in an unmarked police car early on May 14 when they drove through the parking lot of the Part II Lounge at 678 Killingly St. around 12:13 a.m. and observed three men loitering in and around a parked car. As the officers approached the car, Alverson reported, he noticed that the male sitting in the back seat was allegedly drinking from a liquor bottle. Alverson stated in his report that he could smell “a strong odor emanating from the interior of the vehicle.”

Nolbertico Caba was the passenger in the back seat, and there was an empty bottle of Cognac at his feet. Alverson asked Caba to exit the car. When he did, a set of keys and a small, empty baggie dropped to the ground. Caba was searched and a small plastic baggie “containing a green, leafy substance resembling marijuana” was allegedly discovered in Caba’s pocket.

Police charged Caba, 21, of 416 Admiral St., Providence, was arrested on one count of possession of marijuana, first offense, and on an outstanding a bench warrant. The two other men were allowed to leave because “no other contraband was found,” according to the report.  Caba was released on $1,000 personal recognizance and then remanded to the ACI after failing to produce the bail amount for the bench warrant.

Shoplifters running through parking lot:

Johnston Police Lt. Joseph Razza, Patrolman Loffler, Patrolman Adam Parkinson and Patrolman Joseph A. McGinn responded to the parking lot of Five Dollar Deals at 1386 Atwood Ave. on May 14 for a report of a shoplifting in progress. When McGinn arrived he saw two females running in the parking lot in the opposite direction of the store. Parkinson arrived on scene as Razza was trying to detain Ronda Gonsalves. The second suspect, Kathleen Ross, was standing close by “lingering” near a parked car.  Ross allegedly was holding several handbags containing bulky items, according to the police report.

A store clerk told Parkinson she witnessed the pair steal merchandise from the store and it was in the handbags Ross was holding. Ross was taken into custody without incident and stated, “I paid that s—! it didn’t come from your store,” according to Parkinson’s report. The handbags contained body spray, candles, lotions, and shampoo bottles that had the store’s price tags on the items. Ross was unable to provide a receipt and “continued to remain adamant that the merchandise was purchased elsewhere,” read Parkinson’s report.

Ross and Gonsalves told the officers that they were strangers and Ross provided a false name to the officers. Razza discovered Ross’ identity in the car she was standing by. Her ACI release card was in the vehicle, according to the police report.

The two suspects were later found to have the same address.

Police charged Ross, of 27 Florence St., Providence with shoplifting, conspiracy, and obstructing an officer in the execution of duty. Gonsalves, 41, of 27 Florence St., Providence, was charged with conspiracy. Both were released from Johnston Police Headquarters with a district court summons.

DUI arrest:

Patrolman Derrick Palazzo was on patrol on May 15 at 1:30 a.m. when he saw a vehicle driving slowly on Killingly Street without the headlights on. Palazzo followed the car and saw it cross over the white fog line and then it slowly drifted back to the left crossing over the double yellow line, according to his report.

Palazzo detained the vehicle and asked the driver, Gina Marie Giampietro, for her license. Palazzo stated in his report that he could smell a strong odor of alcohol. He watched as Giampietro sifted through plastic cards in her purse trying to locate her license.

Palazzo saw her sift past her license “numerous times” and then she told him in “slurred speech” that she could not find it, according to the report. Palazzo told Giampietro that she passed over her license and she eventually was able to locate it for him.

Palazzo noticed an open ¾-full glass bottle of Bud Light in the front cup holder. He asked Giampietro where she was coming from and where she was headed. She “repeatedly mumbled unknown statements” to Palazzo, according to the report. Palazzo asked Giampietro to submit to a field sobriety test and she agreed. She failed the walk-and-turn test and then refused to continue.

Giampietro was charged with DUI, first offense; refusal to submit to a chemical test; driving with an expired license; and presence of alcohol while operating a vehicle.

State Police make DUI arrest:

On May 14 at 11 p.m., Troopers from the State Police Lincoln Barracks arrested Jeronimo Xon, of 986 Plainfield St.,  for Driving Under the Influence with a BAC below .15. The arrest was the result of a motor vehicle stop on Plainfield Street in Providence. Xon was transported to the Barracks for processing and later released to a family member after being arraigned by a Justice of the Peace.