By JOSEPH FITZGERALD

CUMBERLAND — Jack A. Ranallo promised a field of dreams to young area high school-aged baseball players dreaming of careers in the major leagues.

What he ended up delivering were lies and deceit, police said.
At first blush, Ranallo, a Cumberland man who introduced himself to local parents as a former minor league player for the Baltimore Orioles, seemed to be the real deal. In the spring of last year, he formed a baseball team called the Rhode Island Orioles Baseball Club and recruited dozens of kids from throughout Northern Rhode Island who all had aspirations of becoming the next Jacoby Ellsbury.
Parents of the team members paid Ranallo $3,000 each with a guarantee from Ranallo that the Baltimore Orioles organization would refund any money raised by the fledgling team at the end of the season.
That never happened. In fact, Ranallo never played for the Orioles. It was all a scam and Ranallo now faces 13 charges of fraud, police say.
On Feb. 25, the State Police Financial Crimes Unit arrested Ranallo, also known as Jack Norris, and charged him with 13 counts of obtaining money under false pretenses; two counts of providing false documents to public officials; and driving with a suspended license. Ranallo, 52, of 39 Peacedale Road, was previously arrested for two counts of fraudulent checks related to the same investigation, police said. 
State Police began investigating Ranallo after receiving 11 complaints from parents who had become suspicious of Ranallo’s credentials and motives.
After joining the team, Ranallo reportedly told the families that the Baltimore Orioles would match any funds that were raised by the team. Ranallo collected approximately $3,000 per family and promised a substantial refund at the end of the season. He also told parents the team would be a foundation for players for college play and would expose them to several major league scouts.
State Police said Ranallo also persuaded two parents to loan him $20,000 and $30,000 respectively to establish a so-called Field of Dreams Baseball Academy. Ranallo told the parents the academy would be used to train underprivileged youths as well as members of the team.
To date, the Field of Dreams Baseball Academy has not been established, police said.
Things began to unravel when after only five scrimmage games, Ranallo started canceling games. The players were initially told the team would be part of an AAU league and that there would be 60 games throughout the season, including tournaments.
“After the five scrimmage games it started to fall apart,” said Lt. Brian K. Casilli, a trooper with the Financial Crimes Unit. “At that point Mr. Ranallo was coming up with a variety of excuses as to why no games were being played.”
It was at that point that some of the parents, unable to get their money back, called police.
To date, none of the families have been repaid by Ranallo.
The two charges of filing false documents to public officials stem from Ranallo allegedly providing false information to Cumberland town officials on his voter registration form and to the Rhode Island Department of Motor Vehicles when he went to obtain a Rhode Island operator’s license.
The investigation also revealed that Ranallo has been previously involved in a similar baseball scam in Maryland.
Ranallo was arraigned in Sixth District Court in Providence and released on $32,000 surety bail. He will be back in court on April 18.
State Police are asking anyone with any information regarding Ranallo to contact the State Police Financial Crimes Unit at (401) 444-1000.