Shooting suspect also wanted by RISP
Suspect in two-town crime spree held on multiple felony charges after alleged rape, robbery
LINCOLN — A Woonsocket man was ordered held without bail at the state prison Wednesday after a two-town crime spree that began with a domestic rape in the city and ended some four hours later when he tricked a man into a meetup on Smithfield Avenue and shot him during an attempted robbery, police say.
Shawn Almeida-Brown, 22, of 106 Napoleon St., Woonsocket, was arraigned in Sixth District Court on a half-dozen charges lodged against him by the Woonsocket Police Department – domestic first-degree sexual assault; domes- tic kidnapping; domestic assault with a deadly weapon, a handgun; larceny; domestic disorderly conduct; and domestic simple assault.
He also faces two counts originating from the Lincoln Police Department – assault with a deadly weapon and armed robbery. He allegedly shot a 25-year-old Pawtucket man in the arm during an attempted robbery in what police describe as an ambush. Police Chief Brian Sullivan said Almeida-Brown is acquainted with the victim and arranged to meet him, through social media, in front of 927 Smithfield Ave. about 11 Monday night. When the victim got out of his car, Almeida-Brown allegedly tried to rob him and a struggle ensued, during which Almeida-Brown fired a handgun.
In yet another twist to the bizarre case, Almeida-Brown is facing an unrelated felony charge of disseminating indecent material to a minor. Ironically, the state police were at- tempting to serve a warrant for his arrest on that charge the very day he was taken into custody on the other charges, according to Woonsocket Detective Capt. Michael Lemoine.
“The state police had been in contact with us that day because they wanted to serve that warrant,” said Lemoine. “They were unaware that he was already in our custody.”
The captain said the state police charge stems from allegations that Almeida-Brown took sexually explicit photos of himself and
sent them to a 13-year-old girl.
Following his arraignment, Almeida-Brown was ordered held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions pending a review hearing on May 16.
Almeida-Brown was ar-
rested Tuesday morning after Lincoln and Woonsocket police officers surrounded his Napoleon Street home and took the suspect into custody after his mother talked him into surrendering. Of the six charges he faces from the WPD, all but
the first-degree sexual assault were announced for the first time in court Wednesday after a continuing investigation of Almeida-Brown’s activities Monday.
Lemoine said the investigation revealed that Almeida-Brown sexually assaulted a 22-year-old Lincoln woman – a former girlfriend – at gunpoint in his home. Almeida-Brown allegedly used the weapon to hold the woman against her will and coerce her into performing various sexual acts.
Earlier, Lemoine said, he had been driving around Woonsocket with the woman and struck her with his hands – grounds for the simple assault charges. He also stole her cell phone, the detective said.
Lincoln police say that about four hours after attacking the woman, Almeida-Brown arranged to meet another acquaintance on Smithfield Avenue. Police say the pretext Almeida-Brown gave the victim for setting up the meeting is unknown, but when the two crossed paths Almeida-Brown tried to rob him and shot him in the arm.
The victim suffered non life-threatening injuries and was treated at Rhode Island Hospital. He underwent surgery Monday and was reported to be in stable condition the following morning.
Lincoln police were investigating the shooting when the victim in the sex assault reported the latter crime to police – initially at Lincoln police headquarters, even though the crime happened in Woonsocket. It didn’t take long for investigators at the two departments to figure out they were both looking for the same suspect.