Man Arrested With Loaded Weapon in Providence Was Sentenced Just Weeks Earlier to 5 Years in Prison

Man Arrested With Loaded Weapon in Providence Was Sentenced Just Weeks Earlier to 5 Years in Prison

In 2021, a Rhode Island man was charged with felony domestic violence kidnapping and multiple domestic violence felony charges. 

In March 2022, he posted bail for that arrest. 

Meanwhile, weeks earlier in January 2022, he had been sentenced to five years in prison for a domestic felony assault conviction stemming from a separate 2020 incident. 

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Last week, Providence Police arrested him on felony gun charges.

A spokesperson for the Rhode Island Department of Corrections says the man -- repeatedly arrested, charged, incarcerated, and released - has served short stints in the ACI every year dating back to 2009. 

The prison system in Rhode Island is currently operating at just a little more than fifty percent capacity.

This is the story of Maze Doggett, age 31, who is currently being held without bail as a violator. 

 

Revolving Door 

Court records show Doggett has numerous drug and domestic violence charges on his record, including a felony domestic kidnapping charge stemming from January 20, 2021. 

At the time of that arrest by the Woonsocket Police Department, Doggett also faced felony charges of domestic violence assault — a for “third-plus” time — as well as criminal violation of a no-contact order for a “third-plus” time. 

Doggett was ultimately charged on September 24, 2021; he pleaded not guilty and posted bail on March 4, 2022 in an arraignment hearing under Magistrate William Rampone — on the condition of yet another domestic no-contact order. 

For that case, he was due for a second pre-trial conference on May 17, 2022. 

Just months earlier, however, Doggett had been sentenced to five years in prison on separate charges. 

When Doggett was arrested on previous felony domestic violence charges on February 22, 2020, records show he had been given a “full” five year sentence on January 25, 2022 by Judge Richard Raspallo, with a term of 18 months and 42 months suspended. 

Court records show he was given “credit” for time served between September 12, 2019 and January 12, 2020; February 23, 2020 and September 14, 2020; and January 20, 2021 and August 13, 2021.

The Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) told GoLocal on Friday that Doggett has been incarcerated, at some point, "every year" since 2009. 

"Our files show his first commitment occurred in October of 2009, and he has been in and out every year, several times, since then until January 2022," RIDOC spokesperson J.R. Ventura confirmed with GoLocal. "He has spent time here every year."

Latest Incident

Last Thursday, Providence police said that they were patrolling the area of Douglas Avenue when they recognized Doggett, age 31, standing in front of an apartment complex.

According to police, Doggett exhibited behavior consistent with possessing a firearm; police said they found a loaded weapon in the pocket of his hoodie. 

Doggett is facing two felony charges following the arrest — carrying a pistol or revolver without a permit, and the possession of a firearm being prohibited for a person convicted of a crime of violence. 

 

Held as Bail Violator 

On Friday, Assistant State Court Administrator Craig Berke confirmed that Doggett is currently being held without bail. 

"Doggett [was] presented as a violator in Superior Court [Friday] afternoon," said Berke on Friday. "I show him in our system as being sentenced for time to serve on a case that originated in District Court with an arraignment on 9/13/2019, presumably following an arrest the day before.  Those same conditions show up on two different Superior Court cases on the same sentencing day, so the cases must have been disposed together."

Regarding Doggett posting bail in March for kidnapping charges -- after his multi-year conviction and sentence on a prior arrest just weeks earlier -- Berke said the following. 

"If a judge allowed bail to be set, it is a bailable offense. Our state Constitution is quite specific about that. Other foundations of our judicial system are that bail is not a punishment, much as people might like it to be, and there is the presumption of innocence before trial," said Berke. "And I assume that a prosecutor was in the room each time Maze Doggett appeared before a judge, to represent the public’s interest." 

According to RIDOC's Ventura, the inmate count in the Department of Corrections is just above 50%.

"As of today, the count stands at a total of 2136, which is 53.5% of our total current operational capacity of 3989," said Ventura.