Convicted felon who jumped off Washington Bridge to evade arrest sentenced to prison

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A convicted felon who leapt into the Providence River in an attempt to evade arrest back in February of 2022 was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha said Wednesday.

According to information presented to the court, on February, 17, 2022, surveillance observed 30-year-old James Darosa leave a home in East Providence and place a suitcase with guns inside in the trunk of a rideshare vehicle, then enter the vehicle as a passenger.

As officers stopped and approached the rideshare, Darosa got out of a rear passenger door and jumped off the Washington Bridge into the Providence River.

Rhode Island State Police later located Darosa along the shoreline and took him into custody. The suitcase Darosa placed in the trunk was found to contain 14 guns. Those included 13 handguns, four of which were stolen, one with an obliterated serial number and one semi-automatic rifle.

On January 5, 2023, Darosa pleaded guilty to a federal charge of being a felon in possession of firearms. He was sentenced Wednesday, Dec. 20, to 78 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.