Freedom is not free
City man held without bail after alleged liquor store holdup
PAWTUCKET – A city man named Freedom lost his after being accused of robbing a liquor store and failing to register as a sex offender back on Veteran’s Day.
Police arrested Freedom Anthony Thibodeau, 41, of 220 Leonard Jenard Dr. (Apt. 1C) on Wednesday morning and charged him with three felonies, including first-degree robbery, conspiracy/felony greater than five to 10 years and sexual offender registration required.
Thibodeau also faces two misdemeanor counts of weapons other than firearms prohibited and disorderly conduct.
Officers transported him from headquarters to Sixth District Court in Providence for his arraignment later Wednesday afternoon, and a judge ordered him without bail. The suspect also was presented as a Superior Court violator.
Thibodeau’s most recent problems began at 8:34 p.m., Friday, Nov. 11, when Patrolman Jordan Coty responded to C.J.’s Wine & Spirits, 593 Weeden St., for a panic alarm. When he arrived, he met with the business employee, and he
explained that he had just been robbed by a man, dressed entirely in black and wearing a full mask over his face, holding a knife.
“He stated the male had a large knife in his right hand, and he swung at towards him over the counter; he stated, ‘Give me all the money!’” Coty wrote in his report. “The suspect then started to walk around the side of the counter, at which point the victim grabbed a pepper ball handgun and pointed it at the suspect, advising him to stop.
“The suspect did not proceed any closer, but grabbed a handful of lottery scratch tickets before exiting the store.”
The clerk, 20, who was one of two victims, stated the suspect entered the store with another man wearing all black with a cloth mask over his face, and the latter stayed in the doorway, apparently acting as the lookout. Sgt. Daniel Mejia arrived on scene and was apprised of the circumstances, and at about 9:20 p.m., Detective Austin Webb took over the investigation.
At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, as Patrolmen Coty and John McComiskey patrolled the area of 220 Leonard Jenard Dr., they saw Thibodeau, who they knew was wanted in that armed robbery case.
As they exited their cruiser, they watched as the suspect tried to enter his apartment and immediately took him into custody on that charge and more. After Thibodeau’s girlfriend, who was inside the apartment, gave Coty and McComiskey his backpack full of clothing, they transported him back to the station for processing.