Sunday, March 30, 2008 12:05 AM EDT
Westerly man pleads guilty to 7-11 robbery
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Bolduc held-up store with Pawcatuck home invasion suspect
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 Jason Bolduc of Westerly was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to robbery. |
WAKEFIELD — The Westerly man accused of brandishing a knife in the pre-dawn winter robbery of the Post Road 7-11/Citgo has pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery and felony conspiracy charges in Washington County Superior Court.
Jason Bolduc, 30, was sentenced to 15 years for the January hold-up, and 10 years on the related conspiracy charge.
Associate Justice Stephen P. Nugent ordered Bolduc to serve two years in prison on each count, with the balance to be served as probation. First-degree robbery is a capital offense in Rhode Island; convictions can result in life terms. Bolduc has a lengthy criminal record, albeit for mostly non-violent drug-related crimes.
The armed robbery was followed a few days later by a shocking home invasion in Pawcatuck – and it would soon be clear both were connected. Police would also eventually learn that they had the person they were looking for in their hands before they knew he was their suspect.
According to court and police documents, including a statement that reads as a confession, a cocaine and alcohol binge kicked off a series of violent crimes ending with a number of victims – two injured, one seriously – and the arrest of three men, including Bolduc.
It was a frigid Sunday night in January when career violent criminal Gregory Whiting, 45, of East Providence, and Bolduc started “partying … smoking crack and drinking.” By 5 a.m., Whiting told police in a signed confession three days later, the two were “desperate” for crack cocaine.
Whiting parked his girlfriend’s Monte Carlo across the roadway from the 7-11 – just feet from the entrance to Route 78 leading to Connecticut, what police thought was their getaway. The two men ran across the street, went into the 7-11 wearing hoods and masks and robbed the store of cash and Newport cigarettes; Bolduc held the 7-inch knife on the cashier, according to Whiting’s confession.
The pair fled the store and raced away, not toward the highway, but rather to Bolduc’s Pearl Street apartment.
That Tuesday, after what police sources said was a “two-day crack binge,” Whiting was driving in Pawcatuck with Edward Northup of Westerly, 37, a friend of his and Bolduc. Northup has a long criminal record, including violent crimes, and his mother told The Sun he had a drug and alcohol problem.
According to reports, police and court documents and a statement to the press by Northup’s mother, Whiting – who was behind the wheel – pulled up to a well-maintained River Road home. He got out of the car, knocked on the door and pushed his way into the home of a couple in their 70s. Once inside, Whiting allegedly choked and beat both and then robbed them of their cash.
Reports say that Whiting ran to the car, awakened an intoxicated Northup and the two fled, taking police in Stonington and Westerly on a high-speed chase through both towns. They hit a car driving wildly and in excess of 70 mph through a number of residential neighborhoods, until the car finally stopped at Bolduc’s house at 45 Pearl St.
Police said Whiting and Northup rammed a gate at the house. Whiting took off on foot as Northup hid in the back seat of the car. Police were chasing Whiting when they saw Bolduc, who pointed toward the house, where Whiting had run.
Within a few moments, police had Whiting on the floor and in handcuffs after a brief, but violent struggle. An officer spoke to Bolduc at the time and he admitted to knowing Whiting, but said he hadn’t seen him in “a while.” He wasn’t questioned further or taken into custody. It would be a full day before police would start looking for Bolduc – after Whiting gave him up as his 7-11 accomplice.
Bolduc would be arrested without incident the next day, taken into custody, booked and charged with the capital offense.
Whiting and Northup are facing a number of Rhode Island felony charges as well as what will likely be capital charges in Connecticut for the Pawcatuck home invasion. Those cases are ongoing.
Whiting and Northup, who were both on parole at the time of the January robbery and home invasion, met while in prison, records show: Whiting, on a 25-year sentence for a 1987 Barrington armed robbery; and Northup for a charge of driving to endanger – death resulting and a DUI death in 2002.
Bolduc’s sentence includes 200 hours of community service upon release from prison, substance abuse counseling, a no-contact order and restitution. He will serve his sentence at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston.
esantiago@thewesterlysun.com
Jason Bolduc, 30, was sentenced to 15 years for the January hold-up, and 10 years on the related conspiracy charge.
Associate Justice Stephen P. Nugent ordered Bolduc to serve two years in prison on each count, with the balance to be served as probation. First-degree robbery is a capital offense in Rhode Island; convictions can result in life terms. Bolduc has a lengthy criminal record, albeit for mostly non-violent drug-related crimes.
The armed robbery was followed a few days later by a shocking home invasion in Pawcatuck – and it would soon be clear both were connected. Police would also eventually learn that they had the person they were looking for in their hands before they knew he was their suspect.
According to court and police documents, including a statement that reads as a confession, a cocaine and alcohol binge kicked off a series of violent crimes ending with a number of victims – two injured, one seriously – and the arrest of three men, including Bolduc.
It was a frigid Sunday night in January when career violent criminal Gregory Whiting, 45, of East Providence, and Bolduc started “partying … smoking crack and drinking.” By 5 a.m., Whiting told police in a signed confession three days later, the two were “desperate” for crack cocaine.
Whiting parked his girlfriend’s Monte Carlo across the roadway from the 7-11 – just feet from the entrance to Route 78 leading to Connecticut, what police thought was their getaway. The two men ran across the street, went into the 7-11 wearing hoods and masks and robbed the store of cash and Newport cigarettes; Bolduc held the 7-inch knife on the cashier, according to Whiting’s confession.
The pair fled the store and raced away, not toward the highway, but rather to Bolduc’s Pearl Street apartment.
That Tuesday, after what police sources said was a “two-day crack binge,” Whiting was driving in Pawcatuck with Edward Northup of Westerly, 37, a friend of his and Bolduc. Northup has a long criminal record, including violent crimes, and his mother told The Sun he had a drug and alcohol problem.
According to reports, police and court documents and a statement to the press by Northup’s mother, Whiting – who was behind the wheel – pulled up to a well-maintained River Road home. He got out of the car, knocked on the door and pushed his way into the home of a couple in their 70s. Once inside, Whiting allegedly choked and beat both and then robbed them of their cash.
Reports say that Whiting ran to the car, awakened an intoxicated Northup and the two fled, taking police in Stonington and Westerly on a high-speed chase through both towns. They hit a car driving wildly and in excess of 70 mph through a number of residential neighborhoods, until the car finally stopped at Bolduc’s house at 45 Pearl St.
Police said Whiting and Northup rammed a gate at the house. Whiting took off on foot as Northup hid in the back seat of the car. Police were chasing Whiting when they saw Bolduc, who pointed toward the house, where Whiting had run.
Within a few moments, police had Whiting on the floor and in handcuffs after a brief, but violent struggle. An officer spoke to Bolduc at the time and he admitted to knowing Whiting, but said he hadn’t seen him in “a while.” He wasn’t questioned further or taken into custody. It would be a full day before police would start looking for Bolduc – after Whiting gave him up as his 7-11 accomplice.
Bolduc would be arrested without incident the next day, taken into custody, booked and charged with the capital offense.
Whiting and Northup are facing a number of Rhode Island felony charges as well as what will likely be capital charges in Connecticut for the Pawcatuck home invasion. Those cases are ongoing.
Whiting and Northup, who were both on parole at the time of the January robbery and home invasion, met while in prison, records show: Whiting, on a 25-year sentence for a 1987 Barrington armed robbery; and Northup for a charge of driving to endanger – death resulting and a DUI death in 2002.
Bolduc’s sentence includes 200 hours of community service upon release from prison, substance abuse counseling, a no-contact order and restitution. He will serve his sentence at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston.
esantiago@thewesterlysun.com
Adopted wrote on Apr 5, 2008 1:30 PM:
" It's just like being adopted, you find out sooner or later one way or the other. Best to be told up front. "
Coralie wrote on Apr 5, 2008 9:47 AM:
" opnions, etc... How do you think Dominc D'fazio's family including his children felf after what he put them through? Jason brought this on himself! If you want to blame someone blame him. If he wasen't a criminal, his child wouldn't be a child of a criminal. She or he will learn of his behavior either on the school bus, in school or in there neighborhood. There's no getting around it. It's all Jason's fault! He is what he is A CRIMINAL WHO WILL DO TIME IN PRISON! She or he will proberly go and visit him in prison right? Well, someone needs to sit the child down and tell her or him the facts. No no one's perfect, but ARMED ROBBERY? Justice will be served! "
Opinions...Opinions wrote on Apr 3, 2008 3:18 PM:
" Pete, What's in my wallet is common respect. Again issue at hand was the article had nothing to do with the child. Everyone has the right to freedom of speech but what about the child. How do we not know that we are added more misery to the poor child? She could be reading the paper and seeing all these comments. Yes Jason messed up again and she has to deal with that on her own level. Does she need to see all the things that people are saying about him and then her mother on top of it? It is her father...unfortunately he is not perfect..but she does love him and her mother. I am just saying...everyone takes the holyer than thou approach and dogs these people out but never takes into consideration that not only are the victims suffering but so aren't the offenders family. No beef just didn't think the comment was appropriate. "
Pete wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:20 PM:
" opionions, opinions, I think that they were just trying to make a point that the mother of his child, went from BAD to WORST in her relationship and the poor child's stuck in the middle. Also, there is a thing called freedom of speach. What's in your wallet? "
Opinions...Opinions... wrote on Apr 2, 2008 2:21 PM:
" Everyone has a right to their own opinion but come on people lets face it..what is sitting on the computer complaining about people and the system going to do for you. NOTHING. People read the paper to be informed not sit and read all this nonsense. If you want change you must make change happen!! And for the person who personally attacked a mother and her child that was not called for. That article never said anything about this man's child. That was personal!! Again this is a place for opinions not to attack or bully people!! Did you not read the "Share your thoughts..." guidelines. "
Penny wrote on Apr 2, 2008 1:23 PM:
" He's certainly is a "BAD APPLE" "
anonymous wrote on Apr 2, 2008 10:51 AM:
" he may have never been arrested for violent crimes... but the police know him very well considering they were called to his residence VERY FREQUENTLY for domestic issues. he was constantly out on his front lawn screaming and going into a rage, sometimes getting physically violent with multiple people. maybe when he gets out they'll take the calls more seriously when they are called to his home. im not trying to speak of the police in a negative way at all, im just hoping they dont let things escalate to what they did this time. "
Gene wrote on Apr 1, 2008 1:25 PM:
" Given his past and now going to spend 4 years in the jail, when he comes out he's going to be worst than ever. He will learn alot of BAD things in prison, he will be worst than ever. I hope that he doesn't hurt anybody when he does his next crime. "
josh wrote on Mar 31, 2008 8:31 AM:
" I went to high school with bolduc. He was like that then, and he will continue to do that when he is released from the ACI. He is on a free ride from the taxpayers for the next 4 years. "MONEY WELL SPENT!!!" "
David wrote on Mar 29, 2008 9:51 AM:
" 4 years? What a JOKE! This is TOO little time for what he did and the potential he has for doing it again. Next time the victim may not be so lucky! "
DISCUSTED CITIZEN wrote on Mar 29, 2008 9:06 AM:
" THAT'S IT, 4 YEARS TO SERVE? WHAT A JOKE OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS! WHEN HE GETS OUT, HE'S JUST GOING TO DO IT AGAIN, NEXT TIME HE JUST MIGHT KILL SOMEONE! THAT SOMEONE COULD BE ME OR YOU OR ONE OF YOUR LOVED ONES. 4 YEARS YA RIGHT! CRIME DOES PAY. "
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