2nd suspect in scam donation booth at St. Mary's Feast arrested

A second man accused of running a scam collection booth for the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Research Foundation during St. Mary’s Feast has been arrested.

Matthew Murphy, 30, previously of North Kingstown, turned himself in on an arrest warrant on Sunday, according to Chief of Police Col. Michael Winquist. The first suspect, Alan Ponte, 46, of Pawtucket, was arrested at the scene on July 18.

According to Winquist, employees of the foundation notified police of the unauthorized collection table at approximately 7:30 p.m. that evening. Responding officers found the two men had used a homemade sign with the foundation’s name and set up a table, and had collected more than $200.

While Ponte was immediately arrested, the other man had left the scene before officers arrived. Detectives began an investigation to locate the second suspect, and his image was widely circulated through news and social media, resulting in multiple tips and Murphy being identified. A warrant for his arrest had been issued Saturday.

“The power of social media in criminal investigations is undeniable. Within hours of the suspect’s photo being released on Facebook and traditional media outlets, members of the public stepped up and were responsible for identifying this suspect,” Winquist said.

“The Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Research Foundation is a well-respected charitable organization and it is unfortunate that if the allegations are sustained, these individuals have taken advantage of not only the dedicated people who run the foundation, but also those who have been affected by breast cancer and relied upon on their resources.”

The Gloria Gemma Foundation posted the following message on its Facebook page:

“Last weekend, an incident occurred at the St. Mary’s Feast, in Cranston, where individuals portrayed themselves as representatives of the Foundation. They allegedly asked for donations and worse, they gave people incorrect information regarding breast cancer and breast health. One of those individuals was arrested, and we would like to extend our gratitude to the Cranston Police Department and to the St. Mary’s Feast Committee for their cooperation. We hold the St. Mary’s Feast Committee completely harmless and want to express our apologies to them for any disruption caused, at their event, by the arrest of this alleged impostor. We also hope that anyone at the feast who received information from these individuals will call us so we may provide you with credible resources.

“Many nonprofits, like the Foundation, exist because of the public’s generosity, and we know that other nonprofits are targeted in the same way. We encourage people to know who they are donating to before they make a contribution, and we encourage anyone with any questions to contact us.

Thank you for your continued support of the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation.”