Providence men convicted of 2019 sexual assault and armed robbery
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that two Providence men have been convicted in Providence County Superior Court of multiple counts of sexual assault and armed robbery stemming from a 2019 incident involving two female victims in Providence.
On March 13, 2023, Diamond Wilson-Wooten (age 28) entered a plea of nolo contendere to multiple counts of first-degree sexual assault and first-degree robbery. His co-defendant, DeWaun Smith (age 21), entered a plea of nolo contendere to similar charges on March 9, 2023.
Diamond Wilson-Wooten is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22, 2023, in Providence County Superior Court. DeWuan Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on May 25, 2023, in Providence County Superior Court.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that during the early morning hours of January 20, 2019, the defendants, along with a previously convicted co-defendant, sexually assaulted and robbed two female victims at gunpoint in the area of Manton Avenue in Providence.
At approximately 4:00 a.m. that morning, Diamond Wilson-Wooten, DeWaun Smith, and co-defendant Hector Cintron were traveling in a vehicle in the area of Manton Ave. Wilson-Wooten, the driver of the vehicle, cut off another vehicle occupied by the two female victims. Wilson-Wooten and Smith jumped out of their vehicle and Smith ordered the victims out of their vehicle at gunpoint. The men took an Apple Watch, jewelry, and cash from the victims before driving away.
Shortly thereafter, the defendants encountered the victims’ car again on a nearby street. DeWaun Smith exited the vehicle, again armed with a gun, and jumped into the backseat of the victims’ car and forced them to follow the vehicle driven by Wilson-Wooten to a location off of Manton Ave.
The defendants then, at gunpoint, sexually assaulted the female victims.
On September 9, 2022, Hector Cintron was convicted of three counts of first-degree sexual assault, conspiracy to commit first-degree sexual assault, and use of a firearm during a crime of violence and sentenced to 37 years, with 17 years to serve at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI), and a 20-year suspended sentence with 37 years of probation. The defendant was ordered by the Court to register as a sex offender, complete sex offender counseling, and is subject to community supervision. The court also issued a No Contact Order between the defendant and his victims.
“The men and women of the Providence Police Department work tirelessly each and every day to ensure that individuals responsible for violent crimes within our community are brought to justice,” said Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez. “Our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones and hope that this verdict brings them some semblance of peace. I am proud of the work conducted by the men and women of the Providence Police Department throughout this investigation and thank the prosecutors at the Office of the Attorney General.”
Detectives Robert Melaragno, Matthew Rampone, and Christopher Ziroli of the Providence Police Department and Special Assistant Attorneys General Jonathan Burke and Jessica Villella of the Office of the Attorney General led the investigation and prosecution of the case.
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