Ciresi denied bail by appeals court

BOSTON (WPRI) - A convicted former North Providence lawyer has reported to federal prison in New Jersey after losing an appeal for bail.

Bureau of Prisons officials said Robert Ciresi, 78, of Scituate, reported to Fort Dix Federal Prison Tuesday afternoon to begin serving his 63 month sentence.

Last month Ciresi asked the First Circuit Court of Appeals to grant him bail pending a decision by the court on a request for a new trial. But the courts denied the request in a ruling issued Sept. 2.

“Upon our independent review of the parties' submissions and the record, and giving due deference to the determination of the district court, we conclude that the issues raised in his bail motion do not show a sufficiently close question […] to warrant release,” Chief Appellate Judge Sandra Lynch wrote in the decision.

Last month Ciresi filed with the appeals court in Boston requesting bail and arguing he deserves a new trial.

Ciresi was found guilty of conspiracy, two counts of bribery and obstruction of justice in a high-profile corruption case. In the appeal, Ciresi’s lawyers argued the prison time could “potentially [be] a death sentence at his advanced age.”

He was the only defendant out of five charged to go to trial. Three corrupt North Providence town councilmen agreed to plead guilty in April and are currently in prison.

The investigation burst into the public’s view in May 2010 with the arrest of the three councilmen: John Zambarano, Joseph Burchfield and Raymond Douglas. Also arrested and later pleading guilty was Edward Imondi, accused by the FBI of being a middleman in the bribery scheme.

Fort Dix is no stranger to convicted Rhode Islanders. It was home to former Providence Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci who was found guilty of conspiracy in the wake of the Operation Plunder Dome case. Also serving time there is Matthew Guglielmetti, a reputed capo regime in the Patriarca crime family. Convicted on drug charges, Guglielmetti is scheduled to be released in 2014.

twhite@wpri.com