Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin today announced that a Providence County Superior Court jury found Bruce Moten (age 27), of Providence, guilty of the October 22, 2014 gang shooting that left Terry Robinson dead and Delacey Andrade injured. Moten was found guilty of murder, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, discharge of a firearm resulting in death, discharge of a firearm resulting in injury, discharge of a firearm resulting in no injury, conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm without a license.
The jury returned the verdict after a day of deliberations after an eight-day trial presided over by Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause. The jury found co-defendant Antonio Fortes (age 26), of Cranston, not guilty of all charges. Two other co-defendants – Henry Lopez (age 27, of Providence, and Tevin Briggs (age 22), of Cranston) - previously pleaded guilty to their role in the murder and are awaiting sentencing.
Moten, Lopez, Briggs, and Fortes are members of the YNIC criminal street gang.
During the trial, the State proved that on the morning of October 22, 2104, Antonio Fortes placed a phone call to Henry Lopez informing him that rival Chad Brown gang members Terry Robinson, Delacey Andrade, and Kendrick Johnson were in a black Toyota Camry at a PC Mart on Douglas Avenue.
Armed with a .9 mm and a .45 caliber pistol, Lopez, Moten, and Briggs drove to the vicinity of the rival gang members. Lopez, the driver, dropped off Moten and Briggs just outside the Chad Brown housing projects. Wearing black hooded sweatshirts, Moten and Briggs walked towards a parking lot on Fillmore Street where they spotted the black Toyota. As Kendrick Johnson exited the motor vehicle, Moten and Briggs opened fire on the motor vehicle and its occupants.
After discharging several rounds, Moten and Briggs ran back to Lopez's black Infinity and the three fled the scene.
Terry Robinson was struck in the head with a bullet, causing his death. Delacey Andrade was struck in the buttocks. Kendrick Johnson was not hit by gun fire.
After the shooting, Lopez drove to a house located at 49 Tappan Street, Providence where the three hid the firearms used in the shooting. Lopez then instructed the occupant of the residence to drive the black Infinity to a house on Alaska Street, Providence. Shortly after the shooting, Providence Police Detectives located the suspect vehicle in the driveway of the Alaska Street residence.
A subsequent search of the motor vehicle revealed it belonged to Lopez. Police also found paperwork from Providence County District Court that belonged to Moten, indicating he paid a fine at District Court that morning, which coincided with surveillance footage from the Court.
"This is another example of deadly gun violence erupting between rival gangs that continues to plague our community," said Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin. "Bruce Moten and his co-defendants purposefully went looking to shoot and kill their rivals over a perceived notion of disrespect."
After the verdict, Moten was remanded back to the ACI. Fortes was remanded back to federal custody, where he serving a federal sentence for firearm and narcotics offenses.
Providence Police Sergeant Christopher Currier and Detective Sergeant Fabio Zuena led the investigation. Assistant Attorney General John Moreira and Special Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Morin prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.