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Convicted child rapist Richard Gardner accused of stealing casino rewards card


Convicted child rapist Richard Gardner appears in Kent County District Court, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023. He's accused of fraudulently redeeming a casino rewards card. (WJAR){p}{/p}
Convicted child rapist Richard Gardner appears in Kent County District Court, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023. He's accused of fraudulently redeeming a casino rewards card. (WJAR)

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Convicted child rapist Richard Gardner was back in Kent County court Thursday wearing handcuffs.

The 56-year-old is facing multiple felonies that prosecutors said stem from the theft of a casino reward cards.

The Rhode Island Attorney General's office said Gardner allegedly stole more than $2,000 of "free play," funds at Bally's Twin River and took prizes that weren't his by using another person's rewards card.

He was caught on camera allegedly committing the crimes at the casino. Rhode Island State Police arrested Gardner in Lincoln.

"Through an in-depth review of surveillance that male was later identified to be this defendant. An investigation further revealed that his defendant utilized stolen rewards, the stolen rewards card throughout December, January, and early February,” Assistant Attorney General Eric Batista said

Gardner was charged with five counts of access to computer for fraudulent purposes and obtaining property by false pretenses.

The woman Gardner allegedly stole from said she doesn't know him.

"On Feb. 6, a cardholder went to redeem a promotional gift that she had earned from the casino," Batista said. "However, when she arrived, she had been notified the gift had already been claimed on her account."

State police say they found 12 additional cards belonging to other people when they arrested Gardner.

It's not the first time he's been in trouble with the law -- Gardner was convicted in the late 1980s of kidnapping and raping children. He spent almost 30 years in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Gardner now lives in Lincoln, but caused an uproar when he was living in Providence's Washington Park neighborhood. People picketed at his home, wanting him to move. Providence police spent more than $100,000 to keep around the clock watch on his home in late 2018 to February of 2019.

He is being held without bail after being presented in Superior Court. No plea was entered by a judge.

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