Fall River’s Cosmopolitan among businesses robbed of at least $37,000 in Swansea heist

Information released Wednesday reveals a Fall River connection to a reported armed robbery in Swansea.

According to a Swansea Police report, on Monday, just before 12:45 p.m., Officers were dispatched to BayCoast Bank located at 330 Swansea Mall Drive for a report of a bank currier being robbed at gun point.

The victim reported he had been pepper sprayed and had fired rounds at the suspects. A witness stated that she saw the victim on the ground with his hands on his head and another man loading large bags in the U-Haul. The suspects were described as two black males having handguns and fled the scene in a U-Haul truck. 

While police were checking the area, dispatch radioed that a U-Haul van, later to be determined to have bullet holes in it, was on fire on the Quarter Mile which is a nick name for a stretch of Reed Road which is a short distance from BayCoast Bank. The caller reported two black males had fled the area in a gray or blue Jeep. Officers responded to Reed Road–finding the U–Haul fully engulfed in flames and requested the Swansea Fire Department to respond.

A witness observed the Jeep Grand Cherokee and observed the U-Haul becoming more engulfed-in-flames. The pair took off in the Jeep according to the witness and was nearly hit by the vehicle.

An area general manager of U–Haul told police that the U-Haul truck in question, bearing Arizona registration, was supposed to be on their lot at-their-Abington location and was not currently leased or rented to anyone. The manager subsequently physically checked the lot and discovered the U-Haul missing.

The victim told police that he had made multiple cash pickups from the following dispensaries: Hennep in Provincetown, Terps in Wellfleet, ZenLeaf in Plymouth, Suncrafted in Middleboro, and Cosmopolitan in Fall River, which was his final stop before coming to BayCoast Bank to make two deposits. He removed two deposit bags from his vehicle when the U-Haul abruptly pulled in behind him. The victim stated that he saw a black male wearing a gray sweat suit and a surgical mask come from the passenger side and approach him, pushing a handgun into his torso. Another black male wearing sunglasses, a black top and a surgical mask exited the driver side, also approached him and pushed a handgun into his torso. They zip tied his hands and began throwing deposit bags into the U-Haul. The victim, who has a valid license, was carrying a firearm in a holster on his hip and said that the male in the gray sweat suit attempted to disarm him but could not. At this point he was pepper sprayed by the men and was pushed back into his vehicle. He emphasized that he was in fear and felt the men were going to kidnap him and/or cause him more harm. He was able to free his right hand from the zip tie, drew his firearm and fired three rounds towards the U-Haul. The men then fled in the U-Haul towards Route 118. The victim believed that at least $37,000 had been stolen.

Officers also noticed when arriving to the scene at BayCoast Bank, that the victim in fact had a zip tie around one of his wrists.

 Officers performed a motor vehicle stop on I-195 West upon seeing a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee, color gray, bearing Kentucky Registration that matched the description at the Massachusetts and Rhode Island State lines.

A witness immediately informed police upon being brought to the scene that the vehicle was in fact the Grand Cherokee which was involved in the incident on Reed Road, and he also informed police that the detained male was in fact the suspect.

 The victim was also brought to the final scene and told police that the outfit (gray sweat suit) and build were a match, but he was unsure about the man’s face and hair.

29-year-old Giovany Fouyolle was then taken into custody by Rhode Island State Police and informed he was being placed under arrest. 

Police sought for charges of Armed Robbery/Firearm, Armed Assault to Rob/Firearm, A&B w/ Dangerous Weapon (to wit Pepper Spray), Kidnapping Armed/Firearm, Conspiracy, Malicious Destruction of a Motor Vehicle, Receive Stolen Motor Vehicle, and Firearm Violation with Three Prior Violent/Drug Crimes.

Upon review of Fouyolle’s Board of Probation, police discovered he had 40 adult entries which include many violent offenses. However, in a twist on Wednesday, according to WJAR 10, evidence came to light insinuating that Fouyolle may be innocent and there still may be two suspects on the loose. Fouyolle’s lawyer stated that there is video evidence that his client was at a casino at the time.

Cosmopolitan’s Will Flanagan issued a statement on the incident.

“Cosmopolitan works very hard to maintain a positive image on the cannabis industry. It is unfortunate that someone would commit this type of a heinous crime upon the industry. However, I’m confident that the industry and its customer Base is strong enough to overcome something like this.”

Fouyolle is due back in court on March 28.