Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Commissioner of Public Safety, and The Honorable Peter F. Kilmartin, Attorney General for the State of Rhode Island announce the arrest of nineteen (19) men and one (1) woman on charges relating to the management of a statewide criminal gambling organization and a marijuana distribution operation.
The following is a list of suspects who were arrested and arraigned on Tuesday, April 12, 2016:
1. Thomas J. Pilderian, age 45, of 55 Pine Ridge Road, Cranston, RI
1) Bookmaking
2) Organized Criminal Gambling
3) Conspiracy
2. Mark B. Battista, age 39, of 400 Narragansett Parkway, Warwick, RI
1) Bookmaking
2) Organized Criminal Gambling
3) Conspiracy
4) Possession of Controlled Substance – 3 counts
3. Mark V. Marinaro, age 43, of 11 Winward Circle, Warwick, RI
1) Organized Criminal Gambling
2) Conspiracy
4. Jason M. Pilderian, age 39, of 25 Talbut Road, Scituate, RI
1) Organized Criminal Gambling
2) Conspiracy
5. Joseph R. Brunelle, age 38, of 12 Palm Street, North Providence, RI
1.) Organized Criminal Gambling
2.) Conspiracy
6. Eric D. Glaude, age 40, of 35 Marigold Circle, North Providence, RI
1) Organized Criminal Gambling
2) Conspiracy
7. Dustin R. Sears, age 40, of 40 Braeburn Circle, Cranston, RI
1) Organized Criminal Gambling
2) Conspiracy
8. David J. Disano, age 42, of 83 West Hill Drive, Cranston, RI
1) Organized Criminal Gambling
2) Conspiracy
9. Jonny E. Lubo, age 44, of 111 Wunnegin Circle, Warwick, RI
1) Organized Criminal Gambling
2) Conspiracy
10. James J. Petrella, age 31, of 26 Beach Row, Narragansett, RI
1) Bookmaking
2) Organized Criminal Gambling
3) Conspiracy
11. Timothy J. Moretti, age 46, of 1710 Phenix Avenue, Cranston, RI
1) Bookmaking
2) Organized Criminal Gambling
3) Conspiracy
4) Violation of Probation for prior convictions of Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine and Possession of 1 ounce to 1 kilogram of Cocaine.
12. Sean W. Furney, age 24, of 48 Roosevelt Street, Warwick, RI
1) Organized Criminal Gambling
2) Conspiracy
13. Brian K. Cipolla, age 48, of 178 Council Rock Road, Cranston, RI
1) Organized Criminal Gambling
2) Conspiracy
14. Lewis Silveira, age 50, of 154 North Street, Warwick, RI
1) Organized Criminal Gambling
2) Conspiracy
15. John Depietro, age 41, 39 Prospect Avenue, South Kingstown, RI
1) Possession with intent to deliver 1 to 5 kilos of marijuana
2) Possession of 1 to 5 kilos of marijuana
3) Possession of Adderall with intent to deliver
16. Christopher R. Costantino, age 24, of 10 Cedar Pond Drive, Warwick, RI
1) Organized Criminal Gambling
2) Conspiracy
17. Joseph A. Capelli, age 38, of 58 Firglade Drive, Cranston, RI
1) Organized Criminal Gambling
2) Conspiracy
18. Louis Scaglione Jr., age 24, of 34 Bridgham Farm, Road, East Providence, RI
1) Organized Criminal Gambling
2) Conspiracy
The following suspects were arrested on Tuesday, April 12, 2016:
19. Zhen L. Wu, age 32, of 125 Pleasant Street, Cranston, RI
1) Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana
2) Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana – 1 to 5 KG
3) Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana
4) Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana – Over 5 KG
5) Controlled Substance
20. Shu Y. Ruan, age 40, of 125 Pleasant Street, Cranston, RI
1) Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana
2) Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana – 1 to 5 KG
3) Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana
4) Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana – Over 5 KG
5) Controlled Substance
On April 13, 2016, Zhen L. Wu and Shu Ruan were arraigned in Third District Court. They were both were held without bail, remanded to the Adult Correctional Institute and assigned a bail hearing on April 26, 2016.
The investigation began after receiving information alleging that Thomas J. Pilderian was operating an illegal bookmaking operation from his business, The Cozy Grill Restaurant located at 440 Warwick Avenue, Warwick. The investigation confirmed the information provided and identified Mark Battista, Mark Marinaro, Jason Pilderian, Joseph Brunelle, Eric Glaude, David Disano and Jonny E Lubo as alleged co-conspirators in the operation.
The investigation led to the identification of a second alleged illegal bookmaking operation run by James Petrella and Timothy Moretti. Sean Furney, Brian K. Cipolla, Lewis Silveira, Louis Scaglione Jr., Christopher Costantino and Joseph A. Capelli were identified as alleged co-conspirators with Petrella and Moretti.
Both alleged illegal gambling operations utilized the internet to perform most of the betting and record keeping functions. Pilderian used the betcapri.com website; Petrella and Moretti used the VIPbettors.com website. Both web sites appear to be based in Costa Rica. Criminal charges against the co-conspirators relate, in part, to the collection of debts owed to the alleged criminal gambling operations for which the co-conspirators received compensation.
During the investigation, members of the Intelligence Unit received information that Zhen Wu was trafficking large quantities of marijuana. Surveillance over the past few weeks confirmed this information and identified a storage locker Wu visited frequently at 604 Park Avenue, Cranston.
On Tuesday, April 12, 2016, members of federal, state and local law enforcement executed search warrants and seized property at the following locations:
• 55 Pine Ridge Drive, Cranston
• The Cozy Grill restaurant located at 440 Warwick Avenue, Warwick
• 400 Narragansett Parkway (West B3), Warwick
• 25 Talbut Road, Scituate
• 1710 Phenix Avenue, Cranston
• 26 Beach Row, Narragansett
• GiGi’s Pizzeria located at 647 Main Avenue, Warwick
• The Portside restaurant located at 321 Great Island Rd., Narragansett
• 125 Pleasant Street, Cranston
• Storage Unit 3045, 604 Park Avenue, Cranston
The arrests and search warrants listed above resulted in the seizure of:
• Gambling Ledgers
• $311,596 in United States Currency
• 330 pounds of marijuana
• 2015 Ford F-150 pickup
• 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan
• 2010 Chevrolet Silverado pickup
• 10 Computers
• 11 Cellular Phones
• 6 Digital Storage Devices
• 2 Scales
• 2 Money Counting Machines
