Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Joshua "J Boog" DeJesus (age 23), with a last known address of 161 Sisson Street, Providence, pleaded guilty today before Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause to felony assault, discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence, carrying a firearm without a license, and drive-by shooting. Under the terms of the plea agreement, DeJesus was sentenced to a total of 38 years with 18 years to serve and the remainder suspended with probation, without the benefit of parole.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that on the afternoon of March 9, 2015, DeJesus, associated with the Burnside criminal street gang, shot a .38 mm revolver into a parked motor vehicle on Gallup St. in Providence, with a bullet striking the driver, Jacqueline Caraballo, on the left side of her face.
The intended target was Jerry Cardona, a known associate of the C-Block criminal street gang, who was standing outside the parked motor vehicle at the time of the incident.
The victim identified DeJesus as the shooter. DeJesus was arrested in New York City two months later and extradited to Rhode Island.
"No one should live in fear of gun fire and stray bullets striking innocent victims, especially in the middle of the day. Young men shooting at each other over some misguided perception of rivalry is destructive and cannot be tolerated," said Attorney General Peter Kilmartin. "The police and prosecutors are committed to eradicating gang violence in our community."
Providence Police Detectives Jonathan Primiano and Angelo A'Vant led the investigation. Special Assistant Attorneys General Joseph J. McBurney and David P. Craven prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.