Thaindian News

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND (BNO NEWS) – A Providence, Rhode Island man was sentenced on Monday to four years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a stolen firearm, prosecutors announced.

Rodney Wilcox, 24, pleaded guilty to being in possession of a firearm which was stolen from a Providence police officer’s home. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. Wilcox was previously sentenced to more than a year of imprisonment for a prior crime.

On May 28, 2009, Providence Police Narcotics officers spotted Wilcox in the vicinity of Whelan Road carrying an object in his waistband as he walked towards the detectives’ undercover vehicle. The law agents detained him and asked to raise his hands. Wilcox grabbed the object from his waistband and fled the scene.

During the pursuit, Wilcox was seen throwing the object along a fence line. The officers continued pursuing him until one of them was able to tackle Wilcox while approximately 30 bystanders surrounded them and told the detectives to leave Wilcox alone.

However, after arresting Wilcox, the detective returned and recovered the discarded object which turned out to be a .40 caliber police firearm with 13 rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one in the chamber. It was previously reported as stolen from a local police officer’s residence.