NP Council President: Deeply Disturbed by Alleged Poisoning and Man’s Hiring
GoLocalProv News Team
NP Council President: Deeply Disturbed by Alleged Poisoning and Man’s Hiring
On Tuesday, GoLocal unveiled that Dandrea, an employee of the North Providence Public Works Department, reportedly poured out another worker’s Gatorade drink and replaced the drink with automobile window wash fluid.
Automobile window wash fluid is typically made with methanol, which can be toxic and potentially lethal.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTMultiple workers reportedly looked on while the fluid was replaced in the bottle.
Later that day, when the worker returned to the office and unknowingly drank the window wash fluid, he reportedly became ill and was hospitalized twice due to the poisoning.
And, Dandrea was hired by North Providence while he is on bail for serious federal charges.
“I find this situation deeply disturbing. I was not aware that Alessio Dandrea had been hired or was working for the Town in any capacity," said Autiello.
"As you know, the Town Council does not oversee day-to-day operations, including the hiring of municipal employees — that responsibility falls under the Mayor and administration. However, this incident clearly highlights a serious breakdown in communication and oversight between the administration and the Human Resources department,” said Autiello.
Dandrea Hired by North Providence While Out on Bail for Federal Felony Charges
In 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice filed charges against Dandrea.
Federal charges were filed following the seizure of two firearm silencers, one of which was attached to a rifle, and a “lightning link” auto sear (a device used to turn a semi-automatic rifle into an automatic weapon), announced then-United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
A court-authorized search of Dandrea’s residence...by agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, and the Johnston Police Department resulted in the seizure of six firearms and two firearm silencers, one of which was attached to a rifle. An investigation into Dandrea revealed that the two silencers were not registered to him, rendering their possession illegal under federal law.
According to WPRI, “Prosecutors said investigators also found Nazi flags in Dandrea’s bedroom, and a search of his phone revealed he had text conversations with his brother about looking up the racial backgrounds of local business owners.
Tragic Situation
“To my knowledge, there is no formal policy currently before the Council regarding background checks, but I had assumed such checks were standard procedure for all new hires. In light of this tragic situation, I intend to formally request from the Mayor any documentation related to the hiring process and background check of Mr. Dandrea. If necessary, and given the nature of personnel matters, these documents can be reviewed in executive session. However, I believe the Council is entitled to a clear understanding of how this hiring occurred and whether appropriate protocols were followed,” added Autiello.
“This is a major concern and points to what may be a broader, systemic issue. The Council will be actively reviewing this matter to ensure accountability and prevent such failures in the future,” added Autiello.