Suspended Seekonk Police Chief Isabella Donated $1,600 to Smiley’s Campaign and Met with Him
Saturday, January 14, 2023
Dean Isabella has been suspended by the Town Manager in Seekonk. PHOTO: LISC, Providence Journal Clips and GoLocal
Isabella was suspended by Seekonk officials after a GoLocal story in late December regarding his effort to secure the Providence Police Chief’s position and that he had pleaded to a crime as a Providence Police officer.
WJAR first reported Isabella’s suspension by Seekonk officials.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTGoLocal unveiled that Isabella was one of the front runners to replace retiring Chief Hugh Clements in December.
Donations and Meetings
Now, GoLocal has learned that Isabella gave multiple campaign donations to Smiley and that the two spoke on a number of occasions.
Isabella gave four donations to the Smiley campaign for Mayor. It is fairly unusual for a police chief in one state to give donations to a mayor for a candidate for mayor in another state.
Smiley confirmed to GoLocal in a text that he and Isabella met and that the Seekonk Chief attended one of his fundraisers
"I spoke to him not more than three other times in the last two years," confirmed Smiley.
When reached in late December about being among the names being mentioned for Providence Police Chief, Isabella said he “didn’t know anything about it.”
“There’s a lot of rumors,” said Isabella.
“I haven’t been contacted about the position — I’m honored that anyone would consider me for [it],” said Isabella. “I’m happy of being the Chief in Seekonk. It’s been a great opportunity.”
But, WPRI reported that while Isabella told GoLocal he was not a candidate, a letter seeking the Providence Police chief's job drafted by Isabella was found on his computer -- dated that same day.
When asked about the plea deal from 1998, Isabella said he had “no comment.”
Nearly 25 years ago, Isabella was in the headlines in Providence — for being indicted on two felony counts.
On Friday, Smiley announced he would launch a search with the public included. “We are looking for the right individual to lead our police force to ensure everyone that lives, works and visits our city feels safe. Our next Chief of Police will build on Providence’s community policing strategy, which is why I am proud we developed a process that engages Providence residents and businesses in selecting the next Chief,” said Smiley.
Charge of Misappropriation of Funds -- Followed by Plea
In May of 1998, Isabella was indicted on two felony counts of misappropriating funds from a Police Department account.
Richard Dujardin for The Providence Journal reported the following:
“Isabella, 35, of 10 Wood Driver Lane, West Greenwich, is accused of unlawfully withdrawing money from the Police Department's Bureau of Licenses for his own personal benefit by twice writing and cashing checks totaling $3,100 made out to ‘cash.’
Gregg Perry, a spokesman for the attorney general's office, said the indictments grew out of information obtained from the Providence Police Department's own internal-affairs unit, which started its own investigation into Isabella's check-cashing activities several weeks ago.
Isabella, who has been in the news frequently in the past two years as the officer in charge of the three-member unit that investigates bars and adult-entertainment establishments, is alleged to have cashed checks for himself on Feb. 14 and April 7 last year.
Although Isabella was found to have returned the money to the account before the internal-affairs panel completed its investigation, the panel nonetheless believed there was sufficient evidence of wrongdoing on Isabella's part to bring the case to the attorney general, according to Perry.”
In October 2018, Isabella pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges.
“Unlike most no-contest pleas, Isabella did not acknowledge that he did anything wrong,” reported Jonathan Rockoff for the Providence Journal. “As a result of the agreement, Isabella loses his sergeant's rank but not his job.”
Rockoff wrote:
“Before Superior Court Judge Ronald R. Gagnon, Isabella pleaded no contest to two counts of misappropriating funds under $1,000. On each count, he received six months' probation.
Isabella waived the Bill of Rights hearing that police officers must receive when facing criminal accusations. And he lost his sergeant's rank, as well as half a patrolman's pay that he had lost since being suspended May 4.
But Isabella will receive the other half of his pay, and he can apply to become a sergeant the next time a position opens up. In addition, he did not have to admit in court that he did anything wrong, as normally happens.”
Editor's Note: GoLocal did not report on the Isabella charges at the time as GoLocal was not founded until 12 years later in 2010.
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