Providence Shoplifting Case Filed, Immigration-Friendly Outcome Achieved
Criminal Charges:
Three Romanian citizens charged in the Providence, Rhode Island, District Court (6th Division), Providence County, for:
- Conspiracy, in violation of RIGL § 11-1-6
- Shoplifting, in violation of RIGL § 11-41-20
Case Overview:
East Providence Police responded to a supermarket in response to a complaint for shoplifting. Upon arrival, police apprehended three Romanian Citizens: a husband, a wife, and their sister-in-law. Video surveillance and witnesses observed the three relatives loading up a carriage with groceries and attempting to leave the store without paying. Based on this information, each person was arrested and criminally charged in Rhode District Court (6th Division) with both Conspiracy and Shoplifting. Once arraigned and released on bail, they retained Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer, John L. Calcagni III, to defend them.
Case Result: Filing.
Though the evidence of guilt was strong, Attorney Calcagni fought hard to resolve the case in an immigration-friendly manner. Because the clients were not U.S. Citizens, they faced adverse immigration consequences if convicted, to include deportation, denial of naturalization of citizenship, and denial of their pending asylum applications. With the assistance of immigration counsel, Attorney Calcagni successfully persuaded the court and prosecution to resolve this case in a manner that would not impact the clients adversely with immigration authorities. The agreement required the prosecutor amend Shoplifting, a crime of moral turpitude, to Willful Trespass, an immigration friendly charge. In exchange for the clients’ nolo contendere pleas to the amended and immigration-friendly charge, the case was filed for 6 months, and the Conspiracy charge was dismissed. Providing the clients are not charged with a new crime during the 6-month filing period, the case will be eligible for expungement upon conclusion of the filing period.