Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Andrew McLean (age 23), of Woonsocket, pleaded guilty yesterday before Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause for his role in the October 23, 2015 robbery of the Capital Gold pawn shop on Smith Street in Providence.
McLean pleaded guilty to the charges of first degree robbery, conspiracy, discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence, and two counts of possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to life in prison plus a consecutive 20 years, suspended and non-paroleable.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that a little before 10:00 a.m. on October 23, 2015, McLean and co-defendants Reginald Isom and Leroy Dorsey robbed the Capital Gold pawn shop on Smith Street in Providence and shot the owner.
The State would have shown surveillance video from outside and inside the pawn shop of the incident robbery and shooting.
After the three defendants entered the shop, McLean armed with a .9 mm pistol, the front door automatically locked, trapping the defendants inside. The owner of the shop took his gun, a .40 caliber, from under the counter and confronted the defendants. In the confusion, McLean dropped his firearm. During a struggle, the owner was able to get off two rounds, striking McLean and Dorsey. Soon after, the defendants brought the owner to the floor. McLean grabbed the firearm he dropped earlier and shot the owner in the head.
The defendants then stole electronics and the owner's firearm and were able to open the front door to the shop. The three defendants fled the scene. A United State Postal Service employee passed Dorsey as he fled and witnessed him tossing the firearm. As the Postal Service employee walked by the shop, he saw the owner bleeding on the floor, and hailed down a nearby motor vehicle to call E-911.
Police located Dorsey shortly after the incident hiding in the basement of a residence he broke into. Police apprehended McLean a few hours later. The case against Dorsey is pending. Isom remains at-large.
Providence Police Detectives Jay Simoneau and Jonathan Primiano led the investigation. Special Assistant Attorneys General Joseph McBurney and Peter Roklan prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.