On 11/21/2021 officers of the Tiverton Police Department responded to Seapowett Ave. for the report of a breaking and entering that was interrupted by a family member of the homeowner. While officers were responding dispatch advised that, the male suspect had left the scene in a black Dodge Ram pickup truck. Upon arrival at the scene, officers spoke with two witnesses. The first witness reported she had observed an unknown pickup truck in a family member’s driveway and observed a side door was open. The witness stated that she stopped to check on the house. She reported that upon entering the house she observed a male, unknown to her, in a bedroom rummaging through a jewelry box. The witness confronted the male at which time he threw the jewelry box at her, hitting her in the head. The witness reported that she then hid in another bedroom at which time the male threw a glass candle at her. The witness stated that as she attempted to prevent the male from leaving he grabbed her and pulled her away from the front door.
The second witness reported that she arrived at her family member’s house after being contacted by the first witness. At that time, she observed the male exiting the house from the front door. The second witness reported that when she confronted the male in the driveway he lunged at her. The second witness stated that the male got into the pickup truck and drove towards her and the first witness, nearly striking them. The second witness was able to obtain the pickup truck’s license plate number. Both witnesses declined medical treatment at the scene.
Officers advised surrounding communities of the description and license plate number of the pickup truck. A short time later the Westport MA Police Department reported that they stopped the suspect’s vehicle. Tiverton Police transported one of the witnesses to Westport, at which time she was able to positively identify the male as the person who was inside her family member’s home. Westport Police took forty-four-year-old Jay M. Oliveira of Somerset MA into custody.
Oliveira was arraigned in Fall River District and released on bail with the promise to turn himself into Rhode Island authorities. Oliveira failed to appear in Newport District Court.
Tiverton Detectives, with the assistance of the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force, spent the next several months attempting to locate and apprehend Oliveira. Eventually, arrangements were made for Oliveira to turn himself into the Tiverton Police.
On 03/31/2022 Oliveira turned himself into Tiverton Police Headquarters where he was taken into custody. Oliveira was transported to Newport District Court where he was arraigned on the following charges filed by the Tiverton Police Department, Breaking and Entering of a Dwelling When Resident on Premises (1 count), Assault With Intent to Commit Specified Felonies (2 counts). Additionally, Oliveira was arraigned on charges filed by the Newport Police Department including, Attempted Breaking and Entering (1 count), Larceny < 1,500 (2 counts), Injuring or Tampering With Vehicles (1 count); and charges filed by the Middletown Police Department including Fraudulent Checks < 1,500 (1 count). Oliveira was also arraigned on a Newport Superior Court Bench Warrant.
For the charges filed by the Tiverton Police Department, bail was set at $50,000 with surety. Oliveira’s next scheduled court date is 07/07/2022.
The Tiverton Police Department would like to thank our law enforcement partners from the Westport MA Police Department, Somerset MA Police Department, and the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force for their assistance in this investigation.