Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Police Identify, Charge First of Two Saturday Robbery Suspects

Police arrested the the first of two robbery suspects Saturday morning on multiple robbery and weapons charges.

Following Saturday morning's burglary at Xtra Mart in Coventry and a Shell gas station on Pontiac Avenue in Cranston, Coventry Police, along with Rhode Island State Police, Cranston Police, Warwick Police and West Greenwich Police have arrested and identified one of the two armed robbery suspects.

Click here for earlier coverage of this investigation.

According to RI State Police, Monchi Castillo, 23, of 17 Montpellier St., 3rd Floor, Springfield, Mass., was arrested at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at the 1016 Centerville Road Dunkin Donuts in Warwick on charges related to the robberies in Coventry and Cranston. 

Castillo was later arraigned at State Police Headquarters on the following charges:

  • First Degree Robbery
  • Conspiracy to commit First Degree Robbery
  • Second Degree Robbery
  • Conspiracy to commit Second Degree Robbery
  • Carrying Dangerous Weapon when Committing a Crime of Violence
  • Possession of Firearms by Criminals and Fugitives.
Justice of the Peace Richard Raspallo ordered Castillo held without bail pending a formal arraignment in Third Division District Court on Monday, Jan. 6, 2014.

The penalty for first degree robbery is imprisonment for not less than 10 years and may be imprisoned for life, or a fine of not more than $15,000 or both. The penalty for second degree robbery is imprisonment for not less than five years nor more than 30 years, or a fine of not more than $10,000 or both.

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The second suspect remains at large and is described by police as approximately 5'10 and wearing a black North Face jacket, light brown or gray pants and brown shoes. 

Officials say he may still be armed and ask anyone who may see any him to only observe and call 9-1-1, do not approach. Anyone with information that may assist this investigation should call Detective Corporal William Accardi at (401) 444-1178. 

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