Navy Base Newport Employee Convicted Of Driving To Endanger Death Resulting In Death Of Navy Police Detective Frank Lema

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A federal court jury in Providence today found Alan Bradley, 53, of Middletown, R.I., guilty of driving to endanger death resulting in the death of Newport Navy Detective Frank Lema in September 2013, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Leo Lamont, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of Naval Criminal Investigative Service; and Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.

According to the government’s evidence, Bradley, who was a civilian production employee on Navy Base Newport, was operating a Navy vehicle on the base on September 26, 2013, when he struck and killed Detective Lema. Lema was standing outside of the Navy public safety building with a fellow Navy law enforcement officer when he was struck. After striking Detective Lima, Bradley’s vehicle continued to travel another 200 feet before stopping on an embankment.

According to the government’s evidence, on at least six occasions between February 2011 and July 2013, Bradley’s personal physician warned Bradley not to drive because he was a risk to both himself and others due to a seizure disorder. The evidence also showed that Bradley was involved in a serious single car crash in 2011in Middletown in which his young son was a passenger. Bradley attributed his seizure disorder as a contributing factor to the cause of that accident.

“As the jury found today, because of the defendant’s reckless and entirely unnecessary operation of a motor vehicle, with full knowledge that he was endangering the safety of others, Detective Lema is no longer with us today.  While I know that today’s verdict can do nothing to ease the Lema family’s loss, I hope that it does provide some sense that justice has been done,” said United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha. “I want to thank the NCIS agents and the Rhode Island State Police Accident Reconstruction Unit, and First Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Dambruch, for their outstanding work in bringing this challenging case to a successful conclusion.”

“On behalf of the United States Navy and the Navy Base Newport community, it is my sincere hope that today’s verdict provides the family of Detective Frank Lema some measure of comfort knowing that the person responsible for the untimely and tragic death of Detective Lema is being held accountable,” commented Leo Lamont, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of Naval Criminal Investigative Service. “Our thanks to the United States Attorney’s Office, in particular First Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Dambruch, and the Rhode Island State Police for their efforts working side-by-side with agents from NCIS to bring this investigation and prosecution to a successful conclusion.”

Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police added, "There can be no verdict or sentence that can change what occurred on September 26, 2013, but our system of justice has spoken and the defendant will be held accountable for his actions. On behalf of the men and women of the Rhode Island State Police, we commend the dedication and diligence of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Agents, members of the State Police Accident Reconstruction Unit and prosecutors from the United States Attorney's Office for their dedication to justice."

Operating a motor vehicle in reckless disregard of the safety of others resulting in the death of another person is punishable by a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison followed by up to 3 years supervised release and a fine of up to $5,000.

U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi, who presided over the trial, is scheduled to sentence Alan Bradley on September 17, 2015.

The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch.

The case was investigated by Naval Criminal Investigative Service, with the assistance of the Rhode Island State Police.

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