NEW: Former Central Falls Mayor Moreau Pleads Guilty to Bribe
Friday, February 28, 2014
GoLocalProv News Team
The former mayor of Central Falls, Charles Moreau, was sentenced in federal court Friday morning after pleading guilty to soliciting and accepting a bribe from longtime friend, businessman, and political supporter, Michael G. Bouthillette.
Moreau was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John Connell Jr. finish out his previous sentencing of 24 months in federal prison which totals nearly 12 months and will be followed by three years of supervised release, as well as 300 hours of community service to the City of Central Falls, and a fine of $25,000. This sentencing occurred after Moreau admitted to participation in a corruption scheme between 2007 and 2009, in which the former mayor accepted goods and services from Bouthillette in exchange for directing and providing board-up work on more than 160 properties throughout Central Falls.
Moreau’s previous conviction and sentencing in 2012 for accepting gratuities from Bouthillette was vacated by the court today because of a defense motion citing a recent First Circuit Court of Appeals ruling. The ruling comes from an unrelated case that found a statute that Moreau’s guilty plea to violating is not applicable to gratuities.
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The guilty plea and sentencing was announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin and Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police
Investigation
Moreau’s guilty plea involves his admittance to the court that beginning in Spetember of 2007 he ordered Michael Bouthillette, his longtime friend and political supporter, to board-up all vacated homes in Central Falls. Moreau also admitted to circumventing a State requirement that would require competitive bidding on the boarding up of the houses, saying that each vacant home presented an “emergency” thereby requiring an immediate board-up.
The United States Attorney’s Office, the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, as well as the Rhode Island State Police, investigated the corruption scheme, finding that from September 2007 to July 2009, Bouthillette had boarded up at least 167 homes. An invoice was submitted to the City of Central Falls for each board-up and a lien was placed on the subject property for the amount of the invoice. As these foreclosed poperties were sold, liens were discharged and Central Falls would pay Bouthillette, allowing for him to make profits amounting to hundres of thousands of dollars.
Bouthillette Sentencing
Bouthillette, who pleaded guilty in November 2012, admitted to the court that the former mayor gave him things of value on three occasions for a reward of providing the board-up work. Bouthillette admitted that in March 2009, he assisted Moreau in obtaining a furnace for Moreau’s Central Falls residence for which Bouthillette admitted that he contributed at least a portion of the purchase price. Bouthillette also admitted that from March to November of 2009, he provided numerous renovations and repairs to a Lincoln residence owned by Moreau which Moreau never paid for In the last occasion, Bouthillette admitted that in April 2010, he provided flood remediation work at Moreau’s Lincoln home which Moreau never paid for. Moreau admitted to the court that he accepted each of these gratuities from Bouthillette.
Bouthillette, whose conviction and sentence are unaffected by today’s court actions, was sentenced to three years of probation, including 2,000 hours of community service to the residents of Central Falls – the equivalent of one year of fulltime employment without pay - and a fine of $5,000. The court also ordered Bouthillette to provide the Rhode Island Foundation with a payment of $160,000 to establish an endowment of charitable funds for the residents of Central Falls for public safety, housing and education programs. In addition, Bouthillette is prohibited from collecting more than $275,000 in liens placed on properties for board-up work he performed for which he yet to be paid. The court ordered that any remaining funds to be collected by Bouthillette are to be provided to the City of Central Falls.
The cases were prosecuted jointly by the state and the government in federal court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence P. Donnelly and Rhode Island Assistant Attorney General J. Patrick Youngs.
Related Slideshow: Top 30 Highest Paid Judges
Below are the top 30 highest paid judges, justices, and magistrates in the state judiciary. Judges and other top-earning members of the judiciary are listed from lowest to highest paid. Data includes both regular earnings as well as health care benefits. (The available records did not include the state contribution to judicial pensions.)
Note: Data was obtained from the State Controller’s Office. Pay and benefits are for the current fiscal year, which began in July. Data is current as of July 24, 2013. Salaries and benefits may be changed over the course of the year. In cases where compensation was the same, judges were listed in alphabetical order.
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#30
Madeline Quirk
Associate Judge, District Court
Total Compensation: $181,303.98
Salary: $165,149.14
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
Photo: Flickr. Booster Club
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#29
Joseph P. Ippolito, Jr.
Magistrate, District Court
Total Compensation: $184,031.12
Salary: $167,876.28
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
Photo: Flickr/Brian Turner
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#28
Kathleen A. Voccola
Associate Justice, Family Court
Total Compensation: $184,811.90
Salary: $179,048.48
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $5,433.74
Dental: $286
Vision: $44
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#27
Anthony Capraro
Associate Judge, District Court
Total Compensation: $184,894.32
Salary: $168,739.48
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
Photo: Flickr/j3net
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#26
Christine S. Jabour
Associate Judge, District Court
Total Compensation: $184,894.32
Salary: $168,739.48
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
Photo: Flickr/Casino Connection
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#25
Edward C. Parker
Associate Judge, Traffic Tribunal
Total Compensation: $186,115.54
Salary: $169,960.70
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#24
Stephen J. Capineri
Associate Justice, Family Court
Total Compensation: $187,742.88
Salary: $171,588.04
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
Photo: Flickr/Claudia Morua
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#23
Edward C. Clifton
Associate Justice, Superior Court
Total Compensation: $187,742.88
Salary: $171,588.04
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#22
Bennett Gallo
Associate Justice, Superior Court
Total Compensation: $187,742.88
Salary: $171,588.04
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#21
Susan E. McGuirl
Associate Justice, Superior Court
Total Compensation: $187,742.88
Salary: $171,588.04
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#20
John A. Mutter
Associate Justice, Family Court
Total Compensation: $187,742.88
Salary: $171,588.04
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#19
Michael A. Silverstein
Associate Justice, Superior Court
Total Compensation: $187,742.88
Salary: $171,588.04
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#18
Hugo L. Ricci, Jr.
Associate Judge, Workers Compensation Court
Total Compensation: $188,484.40
Salary: $172,329.56
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
Photo: Flickr/James Robinson
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#17
Frank J. Cenerini
Associate Judge, District Court
Total Compensation: $189,326.80
Salary: $173,171.96
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
Photo: Flickr/j3net
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#16
William P. Robinson III
Associate Justice, Supreme Court
Total Compensation: $190,167.12
Salary: $174,012.28
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#15
Patricia A. Hurst
Associate Justice, Superior Court
Total Compensation: $191,473.10
Salary: $175,318.26
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
Photo: Flickr/manu h
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#14
Robert D. Krause
Associate Justice, Superior Court
Total Compensation: $191,473.10
Salary: $175,318.26
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#13
Jeffrey A. Lanphear
Associate Justice, Superior Court
Total Compensation: $191,473.10
Salary: $175,318.26
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
Photo: Flickr/spoletocity
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#12
Stephen P. Nugent
Associate Justice, Superior Court
Total Compensation: $191,473.10
Salary: $175,318.26
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#11
Debra E. Disegna
Associate Justice, Family Court
Total Compensation: $195,203.32
Salary: $179,048.48
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#10
Michael B. Forte
Associate Justice, Family Court
Total Compensation: $195,203.32
Salary: $179,048.48
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#9
Melanie W. Thunberg
Associate Justice, Superior Court
Total Compensation: $195,203.32
Salary: $179,048.48
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#8
Joseph A. Montalbano
Associate Justice, Superior Court
Total Compensation: $195,848.90
Salary: $179,694.06
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
Photo:Flickr/j3net
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#7
Laureen D'Ambra
Associate Justice, Family Court
Total Compensation: $198,150.42
Salary: $181,995.58
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#6
Haiganush R. Bedrosian
Chief Judge, Family Court
Total Compensation: $202,717.06
Salary: $196,953.64
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $5,433.74
Dental: $286
Vision: $44
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#5
George E. Healy
Chief Judge, Workers Compensation Court
Total Compensation: $209,005.16
Salary: $192,850.32
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#4
Alice B. Gibney
Presiding Justice, Supreme Court
Total Compensation: $213,108.48
Salary: $196,953.64
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#3
Maureen M. Golberg
Associate Justice, Supreme Court
Total Compensation: $215,025.98
Salary: $198,871.14
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#2
Gilbert V. Indeglia
Associate Justice, Supreme Court
Total Compensation: $215,025.98
Salary: $198,871.14
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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#1
Paul A. Suttell
Chief Justice, Supreme Court
Total Compensation: $234,914.94
Salary: $218,760.10
Benefits (State Contributed)
Health: $15,233.92
Dental: $801
Vision: $120
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