RI jury convicts 1 ex-hospital exec of corruption

The jury deliberated over five days before finding Robert Urciuoli, the former president and chief executive of Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence, guilty of bribing former state Sen. John Celona. Urciuoli was convicted of conspiracy and 35 counts of mail fraud.

But the jury acquitted former hospital vice president Frances Driscoll of aiding and abetting in a mail fraud scheme.

This was the executives' second trial. A federal appeals court threw out their 2006 convictions earlier this year because of flawed instructions by the trial judge.

Howard Cooper, a lawyer for Urciuoli, said his client would appeal.

"The verdict with regard to Mr. Urciuoli completely goes against the evidence in this case," Cooper said.

Prosecutors said the executives used Celona to advance the hospital's agenda at the Statehouse. But defense lawyers said Celona did legitimate community outreach work for the medical center and an affiliated assisted-living home.

The split verdict came five months after a major defeat for federal prosecutors in a separate case related to their ongoing probe into Statehouse corruption. The investigation, dubbed "Operation Dollar Bill," has targeted both politicians and corporations.

Celona and another ex-legislator, Gerard Martineau, have pleaded guilty to selling the influence of their office, and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island agreed to pay $20 million and make reforms to avoid criminal charges. But two former executives of the CVS pharmacy chain were acquitted in May of bribing Celona for legislative favors, with jurors deliberating just 90 minutes in that case.

U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente has said his investigation was ongoing. He said Monday he was pleased with Urciuoli's conviction.