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Pawtucket Man Sentenced for Aiming Loaded Gun at Providence Police Officers

Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin today announced that Trenton Keith (age 21) of Pawtucket, was sentenced to a total of 17 years with 10 years to serve and the remainder suspended non-paroleable by Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause. Keith pleaded guilty in December 2015 to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon (firearm) on Providence police officers, possession of a firearm without a license, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, possession of a firearm having been previously convicted of a crime of violence, and resisting arrest.

At approximately June 7, 2015, Providence Patrol Officers Matthew McGloin and Sean Lafferty, both assigned to the Providence Police Violent Crime and Gang Task Force, were on patrol in the South side of Providence. The officers observed a black sedan with its high beam headlights activated tailgating their unmarked police car as they drove down Hamilton Street. The police executed a turn in a rotary and pulled up behind the black sedan. The black sedan then accelerated down Lexington Avenue. The police officers activated the emergency lights and siren directing the vehicle to pull to the side of the road. As the sedan decelerated, the defendant exited from the back seat, and stumbled to the ground. As he turned his body towards the police vehicle, Keith pointed a firearm in the direction of the police officers.

Seeing the weapon, Officer McGloin drove the police vehicle at Keith, striking him. Keith stood up and ran with the two police officers in pursuit. Officers observed Keith toss something into a nearby trash can as he ran away from police. Keith initially eluded police but was apprehended a short time later on Adelaide Avenue. During a canvas of the area, police officers located a .9mm handgun with three live rounds and an obliterated serial number in the trash can. DNA tests revealed it was Keith's DNA on the firearm.

"Police officers take an oath to protect the public, and they put their own lives on the line each and every day to do so. When facing the barrel of a loaded firearm, something no police officer or civilian should ever have to face, Patrolmen McGloin and Lafferty relied on their training and experience to apprehend the defendant without anyone getting hurt. They deserve our appreciation and commendation for the excellent work they did in this case, and for the work they do in ridding the streets of Providence of illegal firearms," said Attorney General Kilmartin.

Special Assistant Attorneys General Joseph McBurney and Peter Roklan prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.

In 2013, Keith pleaded nolo contendere to assault with a dangerous weapon, a knife. He was sentenced to five years suspended with probation had stabbed a 16-year-old boy eight times. In addition, he pleaded nolo contendere in 2015 to one count of forgery and counterfeiting in which he was sentenced to two years probation. Judge Krause lifted both the suspended sentence and probation and ordered Keith to serve the full seven years, to run concurrent to the sentence issued today.

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