Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that a Providence man has been sentenced in Providence County Superior Court to serve 18 years at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) after pleading to assault and firearms charged in two cases involving an September 2021 shooting and an armed standoff with the Providence Department in November 2021.
On April 17, 2023, Timothy Desjardins (age 36) entered a plea of guilty to felony assault, one count of discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and one count of assault with a deadly weapon.
At a sentencing hearing on April 20, 2023, Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause sentenced the defendant to 38 years, with 18 years to serve at the ACI and a 20-year non-parolable suspended sentence.
The defendant is also facing charges in a pending federal case for his alleged involvement in the January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol.
“These cases are classic examples of what happens when guns get into the hands of violent criminals who have no respect for human life or the law,” said Attorney General Neronha. “This defendant has demonstrated a willingness to take aim at civilians, police, and is facing federal charges for his alleged participation in the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Today’s sentencing means that dangerous man will be behind bars for a long time, and Rhode Islanders will be safer for it. I want to thank the men and women of the Providence Police Department for their outstanding work here and in so many other cases.”
The defendant pleaded guilty to a total of six felony counts stemming from two separate incidents in September and November of 2021.
In the first case, the State was prepared to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that during the evening of September 26, 2021, the defendant shot a 38-year-old male victim in the parking lot of a Walgreens located at 333 Atwells Avenue after a verbal altercation between the two men. At approximately 9:49 p.m. the defendant and the victim began shouting at one another from inside their respective cars before both exiting their vehicles and approaching one another. The defendant then brandished a gun and fired it at the victim, grazing the side of the victim’s head before re-entering his vehicle and fleeing the scene. Shortly thereafter, investigators recorded a description of the defendant from the victim’s girlfriend. Both the victim and the victim’s girlfriend identified the defendant in double-blind photographic arrays.
In the second case, the State was prepared to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that during the afternoon of November 11, 2021, the defendant initiated an armed stand-off with members of the Providence Police Department on Atwells Avenue. At approximately 2:16 p.m. members of the Providence Police Department observed the defendant walking on Atwells Ave. When the defendant caught sight of the officers, he fled into a nearby barbershop at 374 Atwells Ave, locking himself inside. As officers attempted to enter the barbershop, they observed the defendant reach for a firearm in his waistband and point it in their direction. The officers immediately exited and secured a perimeter around the shop. Eventually, the officers made contact with the defendant via telephone and convinced him to surrender.
During their search of the barbershop, investigators recovered the defendant’s .38 caliber revolver.
“I commend the efforts of the men and women of the Providence Police Department, as well as the members of the Office of the Attorney General, for bringing this dangerous criminal to justice,” said Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez. “The reckless and violent behavior of the defendant in this case will not be tolerated in our community. He is more than deserving of the sentence he received today and I applaud the hard work that was conducted to ensure that he will remain behind bars for many years.”
Special Assistant Attorneys General Gregory Abilheira and Alison Bittl of the Office of the Attorney General and Detectives Matthew Pine of the Providence Police Department led the investigation and prosecution of the cases.
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