MAYOR DICKENS Screenshots of texts inside
POLICE CALL UPSETS COUPLE
Blackstone Mayor Lafayette Dickens confirms claims that he asked police to make contact with outspoken critic Sam Mordan and warn Mordan to stop texting him or he would press charges for harassment.
Both Mordan and his wife, Joyce, have letters in today’s Forum, accusing the Mayor of overreacting and trying to trample their right to ask questions.
The Courier-Record reached-out to Mayor Dickens, who provided us this statement:
“Sam Mordan has been texting me inappropriately since June 2025! I received several harassing texts from Mr. Mordan on 12-3-2025 so it was then, after six months of ongoing negative texts that I respectfully texted him back asking him to stop.
“Apparently, he believes he has the right to behave in this manner as evidenced by the fact that he continued texting me, sending unwanted messages on 12-13-2025, 12- 16-2025, 1-7-2026, 2-4-2026, 2-6-2026, and 3-2-2026.
“Since he obviously ignored me — now having endured nine months of this — I reached out to Chief Sam Murphy, who informed me that I could press charges or have him contact Mr. Mordan and document the call. I chose the latter instead of pressing charges, preferring to press charges as a last resort.
“I have copies of the messages and can document my claim if necessary. As for him and his wife, they can write as many letters to the editor as they want, but it doesn’t change a thing. I am a respectful law-abiding citi- zen, and the last thing I want to do is make more of this matter than it deserves, but I don’t have to take this from him or anyone else and don’t intend to. That’s not part of my job description! He can register his disdain in your publication or come to the podium during the visitor’s portion of Town Council meetings — or at the conclusion of the same during the Citizen Comments time slot — but my personal cell phone is not the appropriate place for his unlimited harassment and denigrating comments. I have rights, too, and I didn’t relinquish them when I was sworn-in as Mayor.”
The Courier-Record asked Mayor Dickens if he had considered blocking Mordan’s number from being able to call his cell phone. Dickens said he actually hadn’t, and there were some questions as to whether or not an elected official can block a caller if they use their phone to conduct public business. Dickens was able to obtain a legal opinion from Town Attorney Julian Harf. Harf’s findings can be found in story at upper right of this page.
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