4 Charged With Misdemeanors in Brutal Beating of Man Near Providence City Hall

4 Charged With Misdemeanors in Brutal Beating of Man Near Providence City Hall

Multiple suspects were arrested on Thursday after a man was beaten bloody and unconscious in downtown Providence — next to City Hall. 

According to police, the suspects had been riding e-scooters at the time of the assault; the victim reportedly lost teeth and was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for potential internal injuries. 

Now, the suspects are facing “simple assault” charges — misdemeanors rather than "felony assault."

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EDITOR'S NOTE: The FBI does not consider simple assaults to be a "violent crime." GoLocal is seeing a pattern by the Providence Police of consistently "undercharging" assaults to lower the city's violent crime data. 

GoLocal asked Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez why the men arrested for the beating were charged by his agency with misdemeanors rather than "felony assault." Perez did not respond.

Court records show that two of the suspects have arrest records, and one was already facing a lengthy list of felony charges stemming from a breaking-and-entering in the city in 2022 “with criminal intent.”

One of the alleged perpetrators charged in Thursday's beating has been awaiting trial for years on other crimes, and that was not his first arrest — read more below. 

About Crime 

Shortly before 5 AM on Thursday, police were called to Washington and Eddy Streets for a report of an assault. 

The location is directly adjacent to City Hall. 

According to police, the victim — a male in his 20s — was found to be bleeding from the head and unconscious; his clothing was covered in blood. 

Rescue was called to the scene, and the victim was taken to Rhode Island Hospital. He was reported to have lost teeth and sustained possible internal injuries in the attack. 

Upon investigation by police, video surveillance footage from adjacent buildings in the area showed multiple individuals wearing masks — who had been riding e-scooters — assaulting the victim by punching and kicking him before fleeing the scene.

Police said that a short time later, suspects matching the video description were located and arrested in South Providence. 

Cameron Angell Lee, age 21; Jaemari Lucas, age 20; and Bryant Hilario, age 20, are being charged with simple assault; Michael Anthony Villani, age 19, is being charged with simple assault and resisting arrest. 

They are all misdemeanors. 

 

Suspects’ Criminal Records

Court records show that Hilario posted bail in March 2023 under Judge Patrick Burke for a May 2022 breaking and entering incident in which he was charged with five felonies. 

He has had 15 “pre-trial conferences” over the past two years and was awaiting his latest “pre-trial conference” on September 19. 

Court records show that Hilario also had multiple additional breaking and entering arrests, including one that occurred following the May 2022 incident. 

In August 2022, he was arrested and charged with felony “unlawful breaking and entering” — which was listed as a “first offense,” according to court records. 

Records also show that Lucas was arrested and charged with a felony in that breaking and entering incident with Hilario; his case was “disposed of” in November 2022. 

The arrests this week are the first for Lee and Villani, according to court records. 

 

PLEASE NOTE: GoLocal is conducting an ongoing series on the level of crime in the city, looking at the data, the underreporting of crime, the undercharging, and the victims.

SEE THESE TWO REPORTS HERE:

Ground Zero: One Providence Location, 11 Assaults in 23 days

INVESTIGATION 23 Days in Providence: 119 Assaults, 18 Sexual Assaults & 10 Shootings