R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-21-3: Venue of actions based on penal statutes.

Unless otherwise specially provided, all fines of and informations founded on any penal statute shall be brought within the county in which the offense was committed, and not elsewhere; provided, that the superior court for the county of Providence shall have jurisdiction of all proceedings for the recovery of more than five hundred dollars ($500) when the offense was committed in the county of Bristol.