Cranston Man To Plead Guilty To Torching Cruiser In Prov. Riots

CRANSTON, RI — A Cranston man agreed to plead guilty to his role in the burning of a police cruiser on fire during the night of violence in Providence last summer. Nicholas Scaglione, 31, squirted flammable liquid into the burning cruiser, the FBI said, causing the flames to intensify.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Providence Police Department and the U.S. Attorney's Office.

According to the Rhode Island U.S. Attorney's Office, a plea agreement was filed for Scaglione in U.S. District Court, saying he will admit to his role in the burning and plead guilty to malicious attempt to damage or destroy a vehicle. The cruiser, which was engulfed in flames, was completely destroyed, officials said.

Court records show that Scaglione talked to other people about his role in the torching, sending the following text:

"But that police cruiser that went up in flames 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--- 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."

The day after the June 2 violence, which the FBI characterized as a riot, then-Gov. Gina Raimondo denounced the actions, saying it was not "who we are as Rhode Islanders." The National Guard was called in after a group broke into the Providence Place Mall and started looting stores. The group then fanned out through downtown, breaking windows of businesses and damaging public property.

In total, five Providence police cruisers were damaged, police said at the time, and several Providence and State Police officers were injured.

The riot came as the country grappled with the death of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man who died while pinned to the ground by a police officer. Several peaceful protests connected to George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement were held in Providence and elsewhere in Rhode Island in June and throughout the summer. Raimondo and other public leaders applauded these peaceful demonstrations.