Warwick, RI — A Cranston woman who failed to pay for a boys winter jacket and hat at the WalMart Target added a felony charge to her woes when police found 4.8 grams of cocaine on her person then seized it along with $836 in cash she was carrying Dec. 7 at 8:29 p.m.
Officer Eric Lima was called to the 400 Bald Hill Road at the Warwick Mall Target that evening to meet with the store’s loss prevention officer, who had detained Colleen Marzullo, 49, of 49 Francis Ave., Cranston, after observing her take a boy’s winter coat and knit hat from the boys’s department then paid for food at the register then returned items at the customer service desk, but without paying for the boys clothes.
The loss prevention officer intercepted her outside the store and brought her to the loss prevention office to wait for Lima, finding the unpaid-for clothes among her things.
Lima saw that among Marzullo’s belongings were nine small plastic bags containing a powdery white substance he suspected was cocaine.
Lima arrested Marzullo, charging her with shoplifting, and transported her to Warwick Police headquarters, where a test of the white substance identified it as cocaine, 4.8 grams. The officer also charged Marzullo with possession of cocaine, and subsequently also seized $836 in cash Marzullo was carrying, under asset forfeiture law.
Marzullo was released on bail Dec. 8, and scheduled to appear for a screening in Third District Court on Jan. 11 for the charges.
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
This is a test
