TIVERTON – Two sets of misdemeanor charges, totaling 58 counts, against a Tiverton Police Department Lieutenant, Timothy Panell, were filed Thursday, one set for being at home when he was supposed to be on duty at work, and the second for filing false paperwork in order to get paid for it.

Lieutenant Panell, 46, a Tiverton resident, was arraigned on the charges at 2 p.m. Thursday in Rhode Island 2nd District Court in Newport. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was released on his own recognizance, with bail set at $5,000.

The official charges noted in the court file include 49 counts of obtaining money from the Town of Tiverton under false pretenses (in violation of RIGL 11-41-4). The 49 charges are all identical, allegedly for misdemeanors under $1,500.

Lt. Panell, alleged Tiverton Town Solicitor Anthony DeSisto, was scheduled for the night shift but would check in, then go home "for prolonged periods of time," then charge for the time he didn't work.

The other nine counts are for fraud and false dealing (in violation of RIGL 11-18-1), also misdemeanors, in which it was charged that Lt. Panell "did knowingly give a document to a public official of the Town of Tiverton which contained false, erroneous, and defective information with the intent to mislead."

All 58 alleged offense dates are identified in the court file as being April 23, 2016.
The complainant in the criminal actions against Lt. Panell is Tiverton Police Captain Patrick W. Jones, who signed the criminal complaint on Sept. 1, 2016.

The arresting agency has been identified as the Tiverton Police Department. There is no reference in the court file to the Rhode Island State Police or any other law enforcement agency.

A pre-trial conference on the matter has been scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 3 in 2nd District Court, Courtroom #1, in Newport.

Lt. Panell is represented by attorney Norman L. Landroche Jr. of Providence.
The Police Department has not commented on the charges, and has referred requests for comment to Town Administrator Matt Wojcik, who has not responded to inquiries.

Mr. DeSisto said that Lt. Panell has protections available to him under the Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights (RIGL 42-28.6), and is currently suspended with pay, with disciplinary action, if any, pending the outcome of the criminal case.
Further information will be provided as it becomes available.