Providence man sentenced to serve 10 years in state prison for 2017 shooting that seriously injured 32-year-old victim

 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that a Providence man has been sentenced in Providence County Superior Court to serve 10 years at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) after pleading to shooting a 32-year-old male victim in Providence in 2017.

 

At a hearing on March 6, 2023, John Baldayac (age 31) entered a plea of guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and discharge of a firearm resulting in serious injury.

 

At the hearing, before Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause, the Court sentenced the defendant to 20 years, with 10 years to serve at the ACI, and a suspended sentence of 10 years and 20 years of probation. Nine years and 11 months of that prison sentence is not eligible for parole.

 

“Much of the senseless of gun violence in Rhode Island stems from a common set of circumstances – young men with the ability to acquire guns with relative ease, who are all too willing to use them to settle petty disputes,” said Attorney General Neronha. “The defendant here not only played the lead role in that re-run, but nearly killed a young man in the process. He’ll now have the opportunity to think about the consequences of this actions for a significant period of time at the ACI. I am grateful in this case, and in so many others, for the great work of the Providence Police Department and the prosecutors in my Office.”

 

Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that during the evening of June 28, 2017, the defendant shot and seriously wounded a 32-year-old male victim in the area of June Street in Providence.

 

Prior to the shooting, the victim and the defendant’s brother had a verbal altercation where a large crowd had gathered near the basketball courts on June Street. During the argument, the defendant drew a gun, and shot the victim three times before fleeing.

 

The victim sustained serious injuries from three gunshot wounds to the torso, requiring several surgeries and months of hospitalization.

 

Investigators recovered three .25 caliber shell casings from the scene, but never recovered the gun used in the shooting.

 

“While the men and women of our department work tirelessly to solve cases and pursue justice on behalf of victims and their families, they also remain vigilant in their efforts towards preventing gun violence from occurring on our streets and throughout neighborhoods,” said Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez. “I commend the detectives for their work on this case, and thank the members of the Office of the Attorney General for their continued partnership and commitment to public safety.”