Worker at RI Marijuana Facility Who Drew Gun on Patient Had Multiple Warrants Out for Arrest
Thursday, December 31, 2020
A worker at a Rhode Island medical marijuana dispensary who reportedly drew a gun on a patient had previous multiple warrants out for his arrest.
GoLocal talked to multiple Rhode Island law enforcement agencies who had involvement with the worker, the Slater Compassion Center's valet Julio Davila.
In just the past year plus, he has been involved with alleged crimes being pursued by Providence, Pawtucket and the Rhode Island State Police.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAll of these incidents, some of them violent, raise questions about who is working at these facilities and if any background checks are being conducted.
As Davila works for a contracted valet company, owned by a prominent Rhode Island businesswoman, he is not required to get a compassion center background check.
Davila was apprehended by Pawtucket police last weekend on separate charges stemming from Providence. And, this was after Providence police reported he drew a gun on a patient outside the compassion center on December 23.
Now, GoLocal has learned that Davila was brought in by state police in 2019 on a Providence superior court warrant for failing to appear for a pretrial conference on a felony domestic assault.
“The Slater Center contracts with a third-party security company — [parking] attendants don’t go in the building,” said Chris Riley with the Compassion Center, when reached for comment.
Questions of Safety — and Security -- as State’s Marijuana Facilities Expand
Rhode Island currently has three medical marijuana facilities, and is poised to expand to nine in the coming year. Rhode Island politicians like Senate President Dominick Ruggerio are pushing for consideration of the full-scale legalization of recreational marijuana in the state.
As GoLocal reported last week, “Medical Marijuana License Applicants Include Supreme Court Justice’s Family, Lobbyists, and Politicians.”
According to the report filed by Providence police, Davila got into an altercation with a patient outside the facility at approximately 4:30 PM on December 23, with surveillance video showing Davila “drawing a handgun from his coat and aiming it at the individual.”
Providence Police were not notified by the Slater Center until the next day — December 24 — and arrived at the facility at 1 PM.
“They don’t necessarily monitor footage on Charles Street — it happened late in the afternoon. When they reviewed the video, the security firm alerted [Slater Director of Security Wilfred] Hill, which probably happened the next day,” said Riley, when asked about the delay in response.
Hill resigned from the Rhode Island State Police in 2013 after an internal investigation into a relationship Hill had with a recruit.
According to the police report, the video was inconclusive as to whether any shots were fired, and no charges were filed.
“Our facility is secure,” said Riley. “Again, it wasn’t someone who works for us, but I can tell you I know he’s no longer with the [security firm].”
Davila was subsequently arrested by Pawtucket Police on Saturday, December 26 -- on separate charges.
“The arrest stemmed from a motor vehicle traffic stop,” Pawtucket Sergeant Christopher LeFort told GoLocal. “We had a ‘BOLO’ -- be on the lookout — that came from the FUSION center for a vehicle possibly being involved in a drive-by shooting."
“We ran the check of Mr. Davila. It was confirmed he was driving without a license and found it was third offense, and that he had an active arrest warrant out of Providence for domestic disorderly," said LeFort.
Riley, when asked if he had concerns about the vetting — and background check process — of employees used by the contracted security firm, said “you’ll have to ask them.”
Citywide Security
According to Riley, the firm utilized by Slater is Citywide Security, based out of Pawtucket.
GoLocal called the company, and left a voicemail, following a message by an employee identifying himself as an employee of “Management Resource Partners.”
Both Citywide Security — and Management Resource Partners — are owned by Gayle Corrigan.
Corrigan was part of the takeover team for bankrupt Central Falls, she was fired as the East Greenwich Town Manager and has had other business controversies.
She also filed suit against YMCA CEO Steve O’Donnell for gender discrimination while employed at the Y.
Efforts to reach Corrigan on the companies — and their background check policy — were unsuccessful on Tuesday.
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