Residents upset after convicted child rapist gets married in Cranston neighborhood

By: Amanda Pitts

alpitts@abc6.com

@APittsABC6

CRANSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — Washington Park residents took to the streets for the fourth night in a row Saturday, protesting convicted child rapist Richard Gardner, who moved in on their street last week. 

During the protests, Gardner was tying the knot in a backyard ceremony at a home on Preston Avenue in Cranston.

Residents are upset that they weren’t warned the sex offender would be in their neighborhood.

“My neighbor came and knocked on the door and said, you know, make sure your kids are inside. I have a 12-year-old, a 7-year-old and an older son,” said John Evers, a resident of Preston Ave.

John Evers lives only two houses down from where the ceremony took place. He said he was shocked and upset that he wasn’t alerted beforehand that the 51-year-old who served 30 years in prison for kidnapping and raping boys in the 1980’s was going to be just feet away.

“I thought the neighbor would know there’s a lot of children in the area that they would give us a heads up, and it might’ve come as less of a surprise but they didn’t, so.”

After the ceremony and reception, Gardner hopped into a pickup truck. Cranston police followed him to his Providence home.

Wedding guests left the event covering their faces, including Gardner’s new wife. Many headed to the Washington Park home and were met with dozens of angry protestors.

“They can’t leave their windows open, they can’t let their children go in the backyard. Their lives have been changed for the worse,” said Lisa Scorpio, a protestor.

The group banged on drums screamed at the house, and one neighbor even blasted “Here Comes the Bride” from her porch.

A collective effort doing all they can to force Gardner out of their neighborhood.

“We’re gonna be here every day and he’s gonna leave. We’re gonna make him leave,” said Scorpio.

The Rhode Island ACLU sent a letter to Mayor Jorge Elorza, saying while they support the right of neighbors to protest peacefully, those people are violating a city ordinance that bans targeted residential picketing.

The organization is suggesting that ordinance be repealed to avoid selective enforcement.

(c) WLNE-TV 2018