Son of former Woonsocket mayor appears in court for allegedly stealing casino chips

BOSTON, Mass. (WLNE) — The son of the former mayor of Woonsocket appeared in court on Tuesday.

Gary Hunt, son of Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, was charged with with larceny over $1,200 and larceny from a building at the Medford State Police Barracks.

(Courtesy of MA State Police)

Baldelli-Hunt resigned from office back in November.

Witnesses told police told the man had been sitting at a table at Encore Casino in Boston, but he was not playing any games and frequently got up to use his phone.

Hunt then allegedly started a distraction by claiming another patron had won a large sum.

According to police, during the distraction, the suspect grabbed 13 orange $1,000 chips from the dealer’s tray and escaped through an emergency exit.

State and local police located the man matching the description in a parking lot near Encore Boston Harbor.

Security footage showed Hunt discarding some of the chips while fleeing the casino.

Gary Hunt appears in court on Wednesday, July 8. (WLNE)

In response to her son’s arrest, Baldelli-Hunt released the following statement:

“We are deeply saddened by the recent events involving our eldest son, Gary, which occurred within the context of his longtime mental health and addiction struggles. The path to recovery is not perfect and he understands the graveness of this lapse. Our three sons have all been provided the love and care needed for a healthy life. This matter is a reflection of nature rather than nurture, as our three sons were raised with equal love and support. Gary is a graduate from an acclaimed university and his two brothers have gone on to achieve academic and professional success. Although we have continued to provide support and guidance, he has not been able to overcome his struggles. No family is exempt from these challenges and they are not unique to our family.

Our family denounces this form of behavior while recognizing it as an unfortunate complexity of the human body. We do not seek compassion but do request that you please respect our privacy during this time.”