Dino Guilmette could have walked away from his long-running Rhode Island criminal case without spending time in prison.
Instead, he rejected the deal.
On June 25, 2026, Guilmette appeared in Rhode Island Superior Court and turned down a plea agreement that would have required him to plead guilty to two Lorazepam-related charges. In exchange, prosecutors would have dismissed the remaining six charges and recommended five years of probation.
Guilmette chose to fight the case instead.
His attorney, John L. Calcagni III, said his client rejected the offer because he maintains his innocence. The decision sent the case toward trial after more than four years of proceedings.
Guilmette, 47, is also familiar to reality-TV viewers after appearing on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, where he has been associated with cast member Liz McGraw and her husband, Gerry McGraw.
But the television appearances are now secondary to a criminal prosecution that remains unresolved.
Guilmette Rejected Five Years of Probation
The June 25 hearing produced the clearest turning point in the case.
Rhode Island Assistant Attorney General Jim Baum presented the state’s final reported plea offer. Guilmette could have pleaded guilty to delivery and conspiracy to deliver Lorazepam.
The remaining six charges would have been dismissed.
The proposed punishment was five years of probation, meaning Guilmette would have avoided incarceration.
Instead, he rejected the agreement before Superior Court Magistrate Gina Lopes.
The Providence Journal’s report on the rejected plea said Calcagni maintained that Guilmette’s decision was based on his continued claim of innocence.
That decision does not amount to a finding of guilt or innocence. It simply means the criminal case remains contested.
The Case Has Been Pending Since 2022
The prosecution has already taken years to reach this point.
The charges were filed in March 2022, while the alleged criminal conduct dates to November 2021. By June 2026, Guilmette’s case had generated dozens of court proceedings.
GoLocalProv reported in June that a scheduled Frye hearing represented the 87th court action in the case.
That unusually long pretrial history became part of the dispute between the defense and the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office.
After Guilmette rejected the plea offer, his attorney said the case should proceed toward trial.
What Happens to the Case Now?
The case did not end when Guilmette rejected the plea.
Instead, pretrial litigation continued.
The official Rhode Island Judiciary schedule for July 28, 2026 lists State of Rhode Island v. Dino Guilmette, case number P2-2022-2416A, for a hearing on a motion for disclosure.
That means the case was still active after the rejected plea.
The court’s July 28 schedule can be checked in the Rhode Island Superior Court hearing record.
The motion-for-disclosure hearing is part of the continuing litigation over information and evidence in the prosecution. It does not represent a verdict.
As of September 10, 2026, there is no confirmed public report of a completed trial or final criminal judgment in the sources reviewed for this article.
What Is Guilmette Accused Of?
The criminal case involves seven felony charges and one misdemeanor.
The allegations include unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, conspiracy involving a controlled substance, alleged false statements connected to Rhode Island’s Rent Relief program and alleged obtaining of money through false pretenses.
The drug allegation at the center of the rejected plea agreement concerns Lorazepam, a prescription medication classified as a controlled substance.
According to reporting based on the criminal information, prosecutors allege that Guilmette supplied Lorazepam prescribed to him to the girlfriend of a friend and conspired to do so.
The case also includes allegations involving approximately $7,000 in COVID-era rental assistance.
The Providence Journal reported that prosecutors allege Guilmette agreed to give $2,000 of the rental-relief money to a tenant who had allegedly provided false information about her eligibility.
Guilmette has pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence.
Why Does the Case Carry an 88-Year Maximum?
The widely reported 88-year figure is the maximum potential sentence associated with the charges, not a sentence Guilmette has received.
Rhode Island law provides substantial penalties for the unauthorized manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to deliver controlled substances.
Under Rhode Island General Laws § 21-28-4.01, the applicable penalty depends on the controlled substance and the precise offense charged.
The state’s conspiracy law also provides penalties for agreements to violate controlled-substance laws. The relevant provision is Rhode Island General Laws § 21-28-4.08.
Another allegation concerns a false declaration. Rhode Island’s perjury statute addresses knowingly making a false material declaration under oath or affirmation.
The 88-year figure therefore represents potential exposure across the charges. It does not mean a court has determined Guilmette will receive 88 years.
If the case reaches trial, prosecutors must prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Defense Is Challenging the Investigation
The defense has not simply rejected the allegations. Guilmette’s lawyers have also challenged aspects of the investigation that produced evidence against him.
Attorney John Calcagni has questioned the reliability of information attributed to Rhode Island State Police Detective Matthew Lynch.
The defense has sought to challenge evidence connected to investigative warrants and wiretap applications.
Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly reported on the defense challenge involving the detective’s affidavits and the information used during the investigation.
Those arguments could become important if the case reaches trial. Evidence obtained during an investigation can be challenged before a jury considers the underlying allegations.
The prosecution disputes the defense’s characterization of the investigation.
Why Are Organized Crime Allegations Part of the Story?
Some of the most serious claims surrounding Guilmette come from investigative documents rather than the charges for which he is currently facing trial.
A 2021 Rhode Island State Police affidavit reportedly described Guilmette as connected to the New England faction of La Cosa Nostra.
The affidavit was connected to an effort to obtain authorization to wiretap his phone during a drug investigation.
Guilmette’s attorney has disputed that characterization.
Those investigative allegations should not be treated as a conviction or judicial determination that Guilmette was a member of organized crime.
The criminal case currently pending against him concerns the specific charges filed in Superior Court.
How Did Real Housewives of Rhode Island Bring More Attention to the Case?
Guilmette’s appearance on The Real Housewives of Rhode Island changed the audience for a story that had previously been concentrated largely in Rhode Island legal and crime reporting.
He appeared on the show as a friend of Liz McGraw and her husband, Gerry McGraw.
The connection became especially notable because investigative documents from a separate police investigation also referenced the McGraws.
Guilmette has acknowledged that he is friends with Liz McGraw.
When McGraw’s departure from the show became a separate story in 2026, Guilmette’s criminal case again became part of the coverage surrounding the cast.
That connection does not establish that McGraw or her husband participated in the conduct alleged against Guilmette.
Who Is Dino Guilmette Outside the Court Case?
Guilmette is a Rhode Island businessman and former amateur boxer.
His public profile expanded considerably after his relationship with Shayanna Jenkins, Aaron Hernandez’s former fiancée, became known.
He and Jenkins have a daughter, Giselle, who was born in 2018.
Guilmette has generally maintained a lower public profile than many people connected to the Hernandez story, although his television appearances and criminal prosecution have brought him back into national attention.
His business background has also contributed to questions about his finances.
Are Dino Guilmette and Shayanna Jenkins Still Together?
Guilmette and Shayanna Jenkins have kept their relationship relatively private.
The two share their daughter, Giselle, and were previously publicly described as an engaged couple.
However, there is no reliable 2026 confirmation establishing that they are currently together romantically.
There is also no reliable public confirmation that they legally married.
Recent coverage continues to describe their current relationship status as unclear rather than definitively confirming either a breakup or an ongoing engagement.
What Is Dino Guilmette’s Net Worth?
There is no verified public figure for Guilmette’s net worth.
Online estimates commonly place his wealth somewhere between $1 million and $5 million, but those figures are not backed by audited financial statements or a major financial publication.
One 2026 analysis of the available estimates notes that Guilmette is a private businessman and that no authoritative financial outlet has confirmed a specific net-worth figure. The financial analysis therefore treats those numbers as estimates rather than established facts.
His actual wealth would depend on assets, business interests, real estate, debts, investments and other financial obligations that are not completely available in public records.
Guilmette Has Had Other Legal Proceedings
The criminal prosecution is not the only legal proceeding associated with Guilmette.
In 2025, the Rhode Island Supreme Court decided Guilmette v. PHH Mortgage Services, a separate civil matter involving a mortgage dispute.
That proceeding should not be confused with the criminal prosecution.
The Rhode Island Supreme Court’s decision was issued on July 2, 2025.
Dino Guilmette Case Timeline
| Date | Court development | What happened |
| November 2021 | Alleged criminal conduct | Prosecutors’ allegations in the criminal information relate to conduct occurring during this period. |
| March 2022 | Criminal prosecution begins | Charges are filed against Guilmette in Rhode Island Superior Court. |
| July 18, 2022 | Criminal information submitted | The case formally identifies multiple alleged offenses involving Lorazepam, conspiracy and Rent Relief allegations. |
| 2022–2025 | Extended pretrial proceedings | The case continues through numerous hearings and motions without a final trial verdict. |
| June 16, 2026 | Frye hearing scheduled | GoLocal reports that the proceeding would represent the 87th court action in the case. |
| June 25, 2026 | Plea offer rejected | Guilmette rejects five years of probation in exchange for guilty pleas to two Lorazepam-related counts and dismissal of the remaining charges. |
| July 2026 | Defense continues evidence challenges | Guilmette’s lawyers continue contesting aspects of the investigation and evidence. |
| July 28, 2026 | Motion-for-disclosure hearing | The Superior Court lists a hearing involving Guilmette’s case, confirming that the prosecution remains active. |
| September 10, 2026 | Case remains unresolved | No confirmed public trial verdict or final disposition has been located in the reporting reviewed. |
What Happens Next?
The next major stage is the continuing pretrial process and, unless another agreement is reached, a trial.
Guilmette has already rejected an offer that would have resolved the case without prison time.
His defense continues to challenge the evidence and investigation, while prosecutors continue pursuing the charges.
If the case reaches a jury, the state will have to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
For now, Guilmette remains a defendant facing unresolved criminal charges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dino Guilmette going to trial?
Guilmette rejected the state’s five-year probation offer in June 2026, choosing to maintain his innocence. The case therefore continues toward trial unless another resolution is reached.
What was Dino Guilmette’s plea deal?
Prosecutors offered Guilmette five years of probation if he pleaded guilty to delivery and conspiracy involving Lorazepam, with the remaining six charges dismissed.
What charges does Dino Guilmette face?
Guilmette faces seven felony charges and one misdemeanor involving alleged controlled-substance delivery, conspiracy, false declarations and alleged fraud connected to COVID-era rental assistance.
Has Dino Guilmette been convicted?
No. Guilmette has not been convicted of the pending charges. He has pleaded not guilty, rejected the plea agreement and continues to maintain his innocence.
Is Dino Guilmette in jail?
The available reporting does not indicate that Guilmette is serving a prison sentence in this case. His rejected plea agreement would have resulted in probation rather than incarceration.
Are Dino Guilmette and Shayanna Jenkins married?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Guilmette and Jenkins are legally married. They were previously described as engaged and share a daughter, Giselle.
Are Dino Guilmette and Shayanna Jenkins still together?
Their current romantic relationship is unclear. Public reporting confirms their shared daughter but does not provide reliable 2026 confirmation that they remain a couple.
What is Dino Guilmette’s net worth?
Guilmette’s net worth has not been publicly verified. Online estimates generally range from approximately $1 million to $5 million, but those figures remain unofficial.
Why is Dino Guilmette on Real Housewives of Rhode Island?
Guilmette appeared as a friend of Liz McGraw and her husband, Gerry McGraw. His appearances subsequently brought renewed attention to his long-running criminal case.
What is the latest on Dino Guilmette’s case?
The latest confirmed court development is a July 28, 2026 hearing on a motion for disclosure. No final trial verdict has been publicly confirmed.
