A Rhode Island man has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for his role in destroying a police cruiser during protests in Providence last summer, the Department of Justice has announced.
Nicholas L. Scaglione, 32, of Cranston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit arson in April and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy on July 14, the DOJ reported at the time. Scaglione was also given two years of federal supervised release following imprisonment and to pay $52,166.80 to the Providence Police Department, according to the report.
United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha said that Scaglione "chose to quite literally fan the flames of a riot" when he sprayed a flammable liquid into a police vehicle where a small fire was already burning, according to the DOJ report.
"(H)e needlessly endangered the lives of law enforcement and the public," Cunha said in the statement, "and dishonored the proud legacy of Americans who have worked for change through peaceful means. Arson is not advocacy.”
The DOJ statement reports Scaglione confessed "climbed atop the unoccupied police cruiser; threw an object at the vehicle; joined with others in an unsuccessful attempt to flip the vehicle onto its side; and ultimately sprayed a flammable liquid into the vehicle, intensifying a small fire already burning." The vehicle was destroyed, according to the report.
Scaglione admitted responsibility in a text in which he blamed his actions on "pent up years of rage and frustration with the way I’ve seen and been treated by police."
Joseph Bonavolonta, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Boston division, said Scaglione's "reckless and violent behavior deprived others of their right to peacefully protest, contributed to chaos, inspired lawlessness, and put the safety of police officers and the public in danger.”
“Today’s sentence makes it crystal clear to others that we have zero tolerance for anyone committing violence in our communities," Bonavolonta said, "especially when that violence is directed towards police.”
