Convicted child molester announces bid for Rhode Island mayor as Democrat

A Democratic mayoral candidate in Rhode Island declared that his disturbing criminal history does not disqualify him from running for office.

Providence voters will decide on their next mayor in 2026. Incumbent Mayor Brett Smiley and state Rep. David Morales, both Democrats, are the current leading candidates in the race.

A third Democratic candidate, 54-year-old Michael English, has announced his candidacy. However, a Tuesday report from the Providence Journal raised some concerning details about English's past.

'If I haven't showed how to go from nothing to something again, then no one will.'

English's campaign website describes him as a "blue-collar Democrat" who believes "leadership, honesty, [and] integrity is the best policy." The mayoral candidate states that he is "committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our city."

In an open letter to the citizens of Providence, English admits to having a criminal record.

"I will not deny that in 1996, while running for House District 4, I made immature decisions that led to my arrest and a period of incarceration coupled with I dropped out of Hope High School in 1990 and, simply put, I failed to live up to my potential," English wrote.

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Providence Mayor Brett Smiley. Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

He stated that after completing his sentence, he has dedicated himself to self-improvement.

"I earned my GED, received my paralegal certificate, and continued this disciplined path, ultimately earning a [sic] two Bachelor's, two Master's, and a Doctor [sic] degree," English continued.

English was convicted of child molestation against a 13-year-old girl in 1998, the Providence Journal stated. He reportedly served 15 months in prison, despite the attorney general's office recommending a 40-year sentence, with seven years to serve. The court required English to register as a sex offender, but only for 10 years.

He served another 19 months a decade later, after the victim accused him of violating a no-contact order by driving to her home and suggesting they go out for coffee.

English told the Providence Journal that he was living across the street from the victim at the time.

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Rhode Island state Representative David Morales. Photo by Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

He argued that people who believe his criminal history should disqualify him from running for mayor are "wrong, legally."

"They also should calculate what did I do from then," he told the news outlet. "If I haven't showed how to go from nothing to something again, then no one will."

English stated that neither of the other candidates running for mayor is "good for our city."

"What we've got right now is a socialist and then Mayor Smiley," he told the Providence Journal. "I know I'm the non-favorite in theory, but right now if I play my cards right, I think I could win."

"If I'm the bad guy here, God help you all," English added.

While English's conviction was not expunged or judicially sealed, the file has been marked "confidential" under a decades-old court policy that purports to protect child victims. The Providence Journal noted that the outdated policy has shielded potentially important details about this case and others from the public.

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