Providence man sentenced to 25 years on firearms charges

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced that Louis Amaral (age 28), of Providence, pleaded guilty on June 5, 2019 to charges of possession of a pistol without a license and possession of a firearm after conviction for a crime of violence, and violating his probation. Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause sentenced Amaral to 25 years with 15 to serve at the ACI and the remaining suspended with probation.

Amaral received a 10-year sentence to serve for violating his probation, for which he cannot receive parole. Additionally, he received a consecutive five-year sentence to serve for possession of a firearm after conviction for a crime of violence and a consecutive 10-year suspended sentence with probation for possessing a pistol without a license.

Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that during the afternoon on September 25, 2018, Providence police responded to a call for shots fired from a Dodge challenger with New York license plates. Amaral, who is known to law enforcement as a member of the Clowntown and MOP gangs, is also known to drive a Dodge Challenger. Shortly thereafter, Providence Police pulled over Amaral while he was driving a Challenger. Amaral proceeded to place his hands in the air and exclaim, “Alright, you got me! I respect your job, I’ve got a gun in my front pocket.” Police then located a loaded Glock 23 .40 S&W handgun in Amaral’s front pants pocket.

Detectives Sean Lafferty and Eric Cuellar of the Providence Police Department led the investigation of the case and Assistant Attorney General Joseph McBurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General.