Convicted robber leaves URI housing

KINGSTON, R.I. (WPRI) – University of Rhode Island students say they are shocked a convicted felon was living in their dorm.

Malcom Jones, a convicted armed robber, applied through the Providence campus and University officials say it was mistake and Jones slipped through the cracks.

In a police report obtained by The Providence Journal , it was revealed the University of Rhode Island student was a convicted armed robber after parole officers showed up at the campus dorm he was living in.

“I could feel more comfortable. It’s not a great situation,” said URI sophomore Emma Sacchetti.

Emma lives in the dorm where Jones was staying for four days, but had no idea she was living with a convicted felon.

“I am surprised. Usually they’re pretty transparent about what’s happening on campus,” she said.

Malcom Jones was a resident of Coddington Hall, but when the University discovered his criminal past, they took immediate action.

“Through our standard undergrad university process, we would ask the question about criminal background, and this case has brought to light that through our Providence campus where our non-traditional students enroll, we were not asking the question about criminal background. We do now,” said Linda Acciardo from the University of Rhode Island.

Jones’ father is also URI’s new director of enrollment services , but University officials do not believe he had anything to do with his son’s living arrangements.