WPRO News

Former Providence State Representative John Carnevale Wednesday pleaded “no contest” to one felony count of perjury, admitting he lied to the Providence Board of Canvassers in 2016 when he claimed to live in his house district.

“Considering the uncertainties of trial, what could happen, what might happen, he made a decision this past week to resolve the case,” said William Dimitri, Carnevale’s attorney.

As a part of a plea deal, the state agreed to dismiss a remaining count of perjury and a misdemeanor count of filing a false document.

Carnevale, 56, claimed to live in his district, saying he slept in a basement annex of a Barbara Street home and would use his tenant’s facilities on the first floor. Providence election officials ruled he did not live at that address.

In the plea deal, Carnevale must serve nine months home confinement of a five year sentence, the rest suspended. State law prevents him from seeking his old seat, although he did qualify for the September 12 primary ballot.

“When we came down to the home confinement the judge said that’s where he was, and he wasn’t going to reduce the time or impose a sentence that did not involve home confinement,” Dimitri said.