Providence man to serve 8 years for illegally possessing gun

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) –Attorney General Peter Neronha said Monday that a Providence man was sentenced to serve eight years at the ACI for illegally carrying a firearm and obstructing officers during his arrest last year.

Court documents said 32-year-old Kendrick Goodridge entered a plea of nolo contedere to one count of carrying a pistol without a license and one court of obstruction of a police officer.

Had the case proceeded to trial, prosecutors were ready to prove that on May 21, 2021, Goodridge was pulled over by Providence police while in possession of an illegal semi-automatic pistol without a license, before attempting to flee from police.

According to officials, after Goodridge was pulled over, officers noticed him making frantic movements towards the center console of his car. Officers searched the car when they said they found a Taurus .25 caliber semi-automatic handgun loaded with one round in the chamber and eight in the magazine.

During the search, Goodridge allegedly ran away from officers, leading Providence police on a chase through neighborhoods until he was eventually caught.

Goodridge was sentenced to a total of 10-and-a-half years at the ACI with a two-and-a-half year suspended sentence followed by more than 10 years of probation.