Providence man pleads no contest in URI video voyeurism case

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — A Providence man accused of secretly recording a University of Rhode Island (URI) student while she showered has pleaded no contest to a felony video voyeurism charge.

Court records show 30-year-old James Paquette changed his plea during a disposition hearing this week, nearly a year after the incident was first reported on the Kingston campus. Paquette had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Investigators said the case began in May 2025 after a URI freshman reported seeing someone holding a cellphone over a shower stall inside a dormitory bathroom. The student later confronted the suspect before he allegedly fled the area.

Following an investigation, Paquette was arrested at his Providence home. University officials confirmed at the time that he was not a URI student.

According to court records, Paquette was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to have no contact with the victim. He must also continue mental health counseling and surrender his cellphone.

The victim has also filed a lawsuit against the university, alleging URI failed to provide adequate security measures following the incident.