Police: Man tried to deal fireworks on Craigslist
CENTRAL FALLS – A local man’s business plan for advertising fireworks for sale on Craigslist blew up in his face this week when his customers turned out to be undercover police officers.
Wilber Barth, 28, a city resident, was arrested on one felony count of sale, use or possession of fireworks on Thursday, according to Lt. Christopher A. Reed.
Reed said members of the police department’s Special Investigative Unit purchased fireworks from Barth after the State Fire Marshal’s Office learned he was advertising the sale of unlawful pyrotechnics on Craigslist.
After taking Barth into custody, detectives searched his residence and found a sizable quantity of illegal fireworks, which were seized as evidence by the police.
The sale of certain kinds of fireworks has been legal since 2014, but state law still requires vendors to obtain a license and a “certificate of competency” from the state fire marshal.
“Central Falls Police along with the Rhode Island Division of State Fire Marshal want to warn people of the dangerous consequences of
transporting, buying, selling or using illegal fireworks,” Reed said. “We hope everyone enjoys the Fourth, but fireworks in the hands of an amateur are extremely dangerous and illegal.”
“We encourage everyone to celebrate safely, and have a happy Fourth of July,” the lieutenant added
Cracking down on black market fireworks is just one example of how the state fire marshal is trying to spread the message about fireworks safety this year.
The fire marshal’s division and the Rhode Island Association of Fire Chiefs are holding a fireworks safety demonstration for members of the media at the Rhode Island Fire Training Academy in Exeter on Tuesday. Members of the state bomb squad will demonstrate the dangers posed by commonly used fireworks – legal and illegal.
Barth was arraigned at police headquarters before a bail commissioner and released on $1,000 personal recognizance pending an appearance in District Court on Sept. 21.
Felony sale or use of fireworks is punishable by a minimum fine of $1,000, a prison sentence of up to five years, or both.