Please note: An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. The U.S. Constitution guarantees that a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Providence County Grand Jury reported out an indictment charging multiple individuals involved in an illegal gambling operation being conducted in the northern area of Rhode Island.
Between December 31, 2013 and February 4, 2014, the Rhode Island State Police conducted a series of court ordered wire intercepts in furtherance of an investigation into a suspected criminal gambling operation that was being conducted in North Smithfield, Woonsocket and a number of other surrounding communities. Based upon the conversations that the State Police monitored with court authorization, as well as other evidence that was accumulated through surveillance, the execution of search warrants and other investigative means, a number of individuals were arrested and charged with various offenses in February of 2014.
Several other individuals initially arrested by the Rhode Island State Police in connection with the gambling operation pled out prior to indictment:
Roger Berube, age 60
75 Arnold Street
Woonsocket, RI
• Organized Criminal Gambling
• Bookmaking
• Conspiracy
Pled nolo contendere; sentenced to 5 years suspended sentence with 5 years probation on the count of organized criminal gambling, 5 years suspended sentence with 5 years probation on the count of conspiracy, and 1 year suspended sentence with 1 year probation on the count of bookmaking, all sentences to run concurrent
Douglas Plante, age 45
130 Summer Street
Woonsocket, RI
• Bookmaking
Pled nolo contendere
Roger Roy, age 68
291 Bailey Street
Woonsocket, RI
• Bookmaking
Pled nolo contendere
Thomas Ruo, age 58
191 Carnation Street
Woonsocket, RI
• Bookmaking
Pled nolo contendere
This matter was presented to a Providence County Grand Jury on July 28 and July 29, 2014. After deliberating, the Grand Jury returned an indictment with the charges listed below.
The Rhode Island State Police Intelligence Unit and the Rhode Island Office of Attorney General conducted the investigation. All are scheduled to be arraigned in Providence County Superior Court on August 20, 2014.
P1-2014-2327A
David P. Ayotte, age 53
634 Old Smithfield Road
North Smithfield, RI
• Organized Criminal Gambling
• Bookmaking
• Conspiracy
P1-2014-2327B
Jason Faford, age 40
80 Capwell Avenue
Woonsocket, RI
• Organized Criminal Gambling
• Bookmaking
• Conspiracy
P1-2014-2327C
Karl Allaire, age 51
11 Old Pound Hill Road
North Smithfield
• Organized Criminal Gambling
• Conspiracy
P1-2014-2327D
Wade Briggs, age 30
129 Rustic Drive
Woonsocket, RI
• Organized Criminal Gambling
• Bookmaking
• Conspiracy
P1-2014-2327E
Gregory Vartanian, age 57
3935 Diamond Hill Road
Cumberland, RI
• Organized Criminal Gambling
• Bookmaking
• Conspiracy
P1-2014-2327F
Dennis Gentile, age 66
23 Hemlock Road
Glocester, RI
• Organized Criminal Gambling
• Bookmaking
• Conspiracy
P1-2014-2327G
Robert Ledoux, age 51
4 Colerick Street
North Smithfield, RI
• Organized Criminal Gambling
• Bookmaking
• Conspiracy
P1-2014-2327H
Michael Massa, age 60
220 Crossing Drive
Cumberland, RI
• Organized Criminal Gambling
• Bookmaking
• Conspiracy
P1-2014-2327I
Cheryl Ayotte, age 49
634 Old Smithfield Road
North Smithfield, RI
• Organized Criminal Gambling
• Conspiracy