Former Central Falls municipal judge and immigration attorney Joseph Molina Flynn pleaded guilty on September 22, 2026, in federal court to wire fraud and tax evasion. According to federal court records, Molina-Flynn admitted to running a scheme that defrauded immigration clients out of legal and filing fees while failing to file federal income taxes.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. accepted the guilty plea during proceedings in Providence. Molina-Flynn faces a maximum statutory sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud and up to five years for tax evasion, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for December 17, 2026, according to records reported by GoLocalProv.
### Details of the Immigration Fee Scheme
Between 2019 and 2023, Molina-Flynn collected approximately $98,000 from clients for immigration legal services and filing fees that he never actually performed or incurred, according to court documents cited by GoLocalProv. Prosecutors stated that he provided clients with false updates regarding the status of their petitions.
According to reporting by the Providence Journal, federal authorities found that Molina-Flynn failed to file citizenship and asylum petitions for some clients. When those clients questioned why their cases stalled for years, Molina-Flynn ignored communications and refused to return their money, using the funds instead to cover personal expenses such as credit card bills and a car loan.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Molina-Flynn agreed to pay $83,265 in direct restitution to his victims. According to statements made in court by his defense attorney, John L. Calcagni III, Molina-Flynn sold his East Greenwich home, using a portion of the proceeds to begin repaying affected clients.
### Tax Evasion and Financial Penalties
Alongside the wire fraud charge, Molina-Flynn pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion for failing to file a federal income tax return in 2021. Prosecutors stated he actively concealed his income and payroll tax obligations by routing personal expenses directly through his law firm’s operating account.
Under the plea agreement reported by GoLocalProv, federal prosecutors and defense counsel will recommend a tax loss amount between $550,000 and $1.5 million at sentencing. Molina-Flynn is also required to file accurate delinquent tax returns for the tax years 2019 through 2023 and settle all outstanding federal taxes, interest, and penalties with the U.S. Treasury.
Federal prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence at the lower end of the federal sentencing guidelines under the terms of the agreement reached in June.
### Investigations and Disciplinary Actions
The criminal charges follow an extensive multi-agency investigation. Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, the Providence Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation participated in the probe, which burst into public view when federal agents raided Molina-Flynn’s Providence law offices in January 2025.
Following the initial raid, Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera announced Molina-Flynn’s resignation. Molina-Flynn had previously made history in the city as the first openly gay person and the first formerly undocumented lawyer to serve as a municipal court judge. He also taught law at Roger Williams University Law School and previously served as board chair at the Wyatt Detention Center.
The Rhode Island Supreme Court suspended Molina-Flynn’s license to practice law in October 2025 following a disciplinary complaint filed by the court’s chief disciplinary counsel. The complaint alleged that Molina-Flynn neglected client files, misappropriated and co-mingled client funds, and proved uncooperative during the initial investigation. Molina-Flynn subsequently agreed to voluntary disbarment.
During his plea hearing before Judge McConnell, Molina-Flynn stated that he is currently undergoing medical treatment for anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and post-traumatic stress disorder. He declined to speak with reporters outside the courthouse.
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