Luis Mendonca. File pool photo by Kathy Borchers/The Providence Journal
By Kim Kalunian, WPRO News
The man at the center of a Providence police brutality case has been arrested again, this time for weapons-related charges.
Pawtucket Police Major Arthur Martins tells WPRO News Mendonca, 26, was arrested Monday night after driving on the wrong side of the East Avenue extension. When the officer asked Mendonca for his license, he discovered his license was suspended.
The officer affected Mendonca, and proceeded to search his car where he found a loaded gun in the glove box. Police say Mendonca did not have a license to carry.
Mendonca now faces charges including driving with a suspended license, having a loaded weapon in his car and carrying a gun without a permit.
Mendonca was previously sentenced to jail time for simple assault charges in 2009. Providence Police Officer Robert DeCarlo was convicted in April 2011 of beating Mendonca during an arrest, an altercation that was caught on surveillance tape, but a judge later overturned the conviction. Last month, Channel 12 reported DeCarlo had the dismissed felony assault charge expunged from his record.
In 2013, WPRO News reported Mendonca was arrested in North Providence for assault. According to a police report, Mendonca struggled with officers before they “dry stunned” him with a Taser.
Martins made clear that Mendonca’s previous arrests did not come into play with his most recent run-in with the law.
“His prior criminal activity had no impact on this arrest at all,” said Martins.
