Providence city council president indicted on criminal charges

By Bianca Buono

bbuono@abc6.com

@BBuonoABC6

Providence City Council President Luis Aponte has been indicted by a grand jury. He’s facing four counts and they are all linked to his position as a city councilor.

He appeared before Superior Court Justice Luis Matos on Wednesday. Aponte pleaded not guilty to unlawful appropriation, embezzlement and two counts of unlawful use of campaign funds.

According to court documents, this all happened between 2013 and 2015.

Aponte was arrested in May of 2016 and the charges now stem from a subsequent state police investigation. Last October, ABC6 obtained a Board of Elections report. It shows Aponte repeatedly used campaign funds for every day personal use items, including alcohol and Netflix.

On Wednesday, bail was set at $1,000 personal recognizance. When he walked out of court alongside his attorney Artin Coloian, he avoided reporters. He wouldn’t comment on if he will step down from the city council.

Meanwhile, Mayor Jorge Elorza released a statement calling on him to do so, saying, “It’s deeply disappointing to once again learn of charges against a city council member here in our city. Providence has worked so hard to overcome this stereotype and today’s indictment of Council President Luis Aponte proves that we still have a long way to go to ensure ethics and transparency for our residents. The charges brought against the Council President are serious and I call on him to step down from his leadership position immediately. Our residents deserve to be represented by council members who lead with the utmost moral authority and these charges undermine the Council President’s ability to do so.”

Both embezzlement and unlawful appropriation are felonies. A spokesman for the Attorney General says they each hold a maximum penalty of 20 years.

Aponte’s indictment comes a week after embattled city councilman Kevin Jackson was recalled. The next city council meeting is next week.

© WLNE-TV 2017