Prov mayor's brother to stay in prison

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - The brother of Providence Mayor David Cicilline will be staying behind bars for the time being. A federal judge Thursday denied a request for early release by disgraced Providence attorney John M. Cicilline 

Following a recommendation by U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Collings, U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro ruled against Cicilline's motion that would have allowed him move into a halfway house.

• Read the magistrate judge's recommendation

Last month, Cicilline’s father and famed Rhode Island attorney John F. Cicilline argued his son was close to losing his home and was dealing with “unusual family needs.”

Cicilline, 52, was sentenced last year to serve 18 months at Fort Devens federal prison in Massachusetts for shaking down two drug dealing clients. Cicilline, at the time a well-known defense attorney, pleaded guilty to the charges and reported to prison on October 2, 2008.

Cicilline was disbarred following his conviction. He was indicted along with his former law partner Joseph Bevilacqua, Jr., after federal investigators say the pair attempted to set-up drug deals so clients could receive a lighter sentence.

Cicilline and Bevilacqua were accused of attempting to extort several hundred thousand dollars from their clients so they could then share information about the drug deals with prosecutors for leniency.