Cranston Man Arrested, Charged In Burning Of Police Cruiser: FBI

CRANSTON, RI – A 30-year-old Cranston man was arrested on Tuesday and charged for his involvement in the burning and destruction of a Providence police cruiser during a night of heavy protesting and looting in early June, the U.S. District Attorney for Rhode Island announced on Wednesday.

Nicholas L. Scaglione was one of two Rhode Island men arrested and charged after a federal complaint was filed in conjunction with malicious destruction of vehicle by fire. His arrest comes after Luis Joel Sierra, 34, Providence, was arrested on a federal complaint and charged with the same offense last week.

According to a news release, a joint investigation between the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, Providence Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office determined that Sierra set a Providence police vehicle on fire by leaning inside the cruiser and igniting the blaze with lighter fluid.

The investigation determined that Scaglione squirted a flammable liquid inside the vehicle, causing the fire to intensify, authorities said Wednesday. The cruiser became fully engulfed in flames and was destroyed.

Between 200 and 300 people stormed Providence Place mall around 11:30 p.m. on June 2, "overwhelming" dozens of police officers, according to Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare. Approximately 75 to 100 were successful and began breaking glass and looting stores. About a dozen stores were damaged, Pare said, adding the looters were quickly driven out to Francis Street by law enforcement and none were able to get back in.

Court documents show that both men then shared information about their involvement in the cruiser fire with others. In a text message obtained by investigators, Scaglione relayed his part in the act via text message, writing, “But that police cruiser that was destroyed last night can be replaced. I was pissed. I’ve been pissed. That was pent up years of rage and frustration with the way I’ve seen and been treated by police. That cop car can be replaced. People’s lives cannot. Then I go out fighting and standing up for s**t I believe in. Cuz I know for a fact if it was you or anyone else I was close to I’d burn the whole police force down and not even blink.”

Authorities said that Sierra told friends that he was one of the people involved in the burning of the police cruiser and police officials were also provided with several videos taken off of Snapchat off of Sierra’s phone as well as a recorded conversation in which Sierra divulged details of the incident.

Officials announced on Wednesday that significant information including emails, phone calls, text messages and video were brought to the attention of authorities following the publication of an FBI poster seeking information regarding persons of interest in the crime.

Attempted malicious destruction of a vehicle by fire is punishable by 5-20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine up to $250,000. According to officials, Sierra was ordered to be detained in federal custody while Scaglione was charged and released on an unsecured bond.