Man arrested on gun charge after report of ‘screaming’
But police find no evidence of woman in trouble at scene
WOONSOCKET – The mysterious screaming woman never materialized, but the gun was real, and it landed a city man at the state prison on Friday.
Darryl Suber, 57, of 332 Rathbun St., was held on bail following his arraignment in District Court on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a conviction for a crime of violence.
Police said they went looking for Suber about 5:30 a.m. after receiving a series of anonymous calls about a woman who was in his apartment “screaming for help.” Once, the caller specifically stated that “the female was in the apartment with a man named Suber, and that Suber was in possession of a rifle,” police reports say.
When officers arrived, however, they heard no one screaming. Moreover, they were unable to gain entry to Suber’s third-floor apartment without assistance from the Woonsocket Fire Department because the main entryway to the multifamily residence was secured with a lock box.
After the WFD supplied a key, police had no trouble finding Suber. He readily identified himself and didn’t seem to be hiding anything – or anyone.
“I checked the entire house for any space large enough to fit a human being,” reported Patrol Officer David W. Frederick.
There was no sign of a woman in distress. While searching the bedroom, however, Frederick noticed a rifle leaning upright inside the corner of a closet.
It’s a felony for Suber to be in possession of any firearm because he’s been convicted of domestic assault at least three times between August 2006 and September 2014.
“Suber stated he was in fact a convicted felon, and had been convicted of domestic violence several times,” Frederick noted in his report.
Police described the firearm located in Suber’s apartment as “a very old musket-style” weapon. Police said they dismantled the gun so it couldn’t be fired and seized it as evidence.
In addition to the weapons charge, police say there was an active bench warrant for Suber’s arrest after he failed to appear in court for a hearing on his ability to pay a fine in connection with a prior conviction for domestic assault.
According to the judiciary’s web site, Suber had been arrested repeatedly for domestic assault and battery between 2006 and 2014. The charge is usually a misdemeanor, but it becomes a felony upon arrest for a third and subsequent offense.
Police reports say Suber also goes by various aliases, including James Hill and James Dante. The phrases “Thug Life” and “Thug Passion” are tattooed on his body, along with various images, including a naked woman and female bearing a sickle, which is a type of agricultural harvesting tool.
During an initial appearance on the new charges in District Court, a judge set bail at $5,000 with surety but Suber was unable to post the necessary amount and subsequently remanded to the ACI, where he remained as of press time on Monday, according to the Department of Corrections.
His next scheduled appearance in court is for a pre-arraignment conference on Aug. 11.