Trillo admits ‘70s incident with then-teen Mattiello

PROVIDENCE (AP) — An independent candidate for governor in Rhode Island said Wednesday he pleaded no contest decades ago to assaulting a teenager who is now the Democratic speaker of the House.

Former Republican lawmaker Joe Trillo, seen as a possible spoiler in the race between Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo and Republican Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, confirmed a WPRO-AM report about the incident.

Trillo was in his 30s sometime in the 1970s when he said he was charged with simple assault against his neighbor in Cranston, Nicholas Mattiello, who was then around 13 years old. Trillo said he was outside working when he heard a neighbor girl who was around 12 or 13 and home alone screaming.

He said he found Mattiello among several boys banging on her door.

“I immediately dropped everything I was doing and ran over to the house, and started waving my arms around furiously to disband the group of boys doing everything they could to get in that house. That’s when one of my arms unintentionally struck young Nicholas Mattiello,” Trillo said in a written statement.

Trillo went on to say that while he wishes he hadn’t accidentally come into contact with Mattiello, “I know I did the right thing, trying to protect the frightened young girl.”

He said he had been arguing with Mattiello’s family at the time about things that were happening in the neighborhood, and they pressed charges. Trillo said he pleaded no contest with the understanding the file would be sealed if he stayed out of trouble.

Mattiello’s office told the station that he doesn’t remember what happened and deferred to Trillo.

“I vaguely recall an incident that took place well over 40 years ago. I respect Joe Trillo, who is a friend and a good person, and I have a lot of affection for him,” he said in a statement.