PROVIDENCE, RI – James Darosa, 30, is headed to federal prison for 6.5 years after a desperate attempt to evade police ended with a plunge into the Providence River. Darosa was sentenced today for illegally possessing 14 firearms, a cache that included stolen handguns and a weapon with its serial number deliberately destroyed.
The bust unfolded in February 2022 when the East Providence Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) observed Darosa loading a suitcase brimming with guns into the trunk of a rideshare vehicle. Officers watched as Darosa then entered the vehicle as a passenger. A traffic stop was initiated shortly after, but Darosa wasn’t sticking around for questions. He bolted from the rear passenger door and jumped off a bridge into the icy Providence River, hoping to escape.
The river couldn’t hide him for long. With the help of the Providence Police and Rhode Island State Police, Darosa was apprehended along the shoreline. Inside the suitcase, investigators found a dangerous arsenal: 13 handguns, four of which were reported stolen, one handgun with an obliterated serial number, and a single semi-automatic rifle. The serial number obliteration is a common tactic used to mask the illegal origins of firearms.
Darosa pleaded guilty on January 5, 2023, to the federal charge of being a felon in possession of firearms. U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith handed down the 78-month sentence today, followed by three years of federal supervised release. This conviction ensures Darosa will be off the streets and unable to acquire more illegal weapons for the foreseeable future.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha praised the collaborative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Providence Police Department, and the Rhode Island State Police. This case was prosecuted under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program focused on reducing violent crime by targeting the most dangerous offenders and bolstering community prevention efforts.
The PSN program, according to the Department of Justice, utilizes data-driven strategies to pinpoint violent crime hotspots and then deploys resources to address them. This isn’t just about arrests; it’s about a comprehensive approach that includes reentry programs to help former offenders reintegrate into society and avoid recidivism. Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Michael Seaman prosecuted the case.
Related Federal Cases
- Ronald Andruchuk, Illegal Firearms Possession, Burrillville RI, 2023 · Massachusetts
- David Welch, Felon in Possession of Firearms, Rhode Island 2013 · Rhode Island
- Ronald Andruchuk, Unlawful Possession of Firearms, Burrillville RI, 2022 · Illinois
- Christopher Rene, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Rhode Island 2016 · Rhode Island
- Torreon Man Guilty of Unlawful Gun Possession · Illinois
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