Three North Providence Councilors Indicted for Bribery

Three North Providence Councilors Indicted for Bribery

Three North Providence town councilors were formally indicted by a federal grand jury today on extortion and bribery charges.

Joseph Burchfield, Raymond Douglas and John Zambarano are accused of taking a $25,000 bribe in exchange for their votes for a supermarket development in Feb. 2009. The vote re-zoned six acres to that a supermarket could be built on Plympton Street near Mineral Spring Avenue. The three men were arrested by FBI agents on May 6.

“Today’s indictment is simply the next step in this ongoing criminal matter,” said U.S. Attorney Peter Neronh. “However, I reiterate what I said on the day these defendants were arrested that anyone with knowledge related to the conduct alleged in the affidavits would do well to contact the FBI.”

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