VSP: Man who tried to light Molotov cocktail returned to Vt., committed more crimes

September 26, 2023 | By Eric Blasidell | Times Argus staff writer

This story was first published online by The Times Argus today.

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BARRE — A Waterbury man accused of trying to light a Molotov cocktail on fire on another man’s property has again been released to his property in Maine after police say he returned to Vermont and committed more crimes.

John T. Neville, 51, pleaded not guilty by video Monday in Washington County criminal court in Barre to a felony count of unlawful trespass into an occupied residence, three misdemeanor counts of violating an abuse prevention order, two misdemeanor counts of violating conditions of release and a misdemeanor count of leaving the scene of a crash. If convicted, Neville faces a maximum sentence of nine years in prison.

Neville had initially been ordered held on $1,000 bail and was arraigned Monday while in custody at Northeast Correctional Complex in St. Johnsbury. He was released following the hearing on the understanding that he would stay in St. Johnsbury for a day or two until he could secure a ride back to his property in Maine. His conditions of release state he cannot enter Washington County within 48 hours of being released, nor can he reenter Vermont, unless for court appearances or to meet with his lawyer, without permission from the court.

For the unlawful trespass charge and two of the violations of an abuse prevention order, Trooper Mae Murdock, of the Vermont State Police, said in her affidavit a family member of Neville’s called police on Sept. 16 to report Neville had broken into her home in Waterbury, which was a violation of an abuse prevention order she had in place against Neville.

Murdock said the victim reported she could hear Neville screaming in a nearby parking lot.

The trooper said she went to the scene and spoke to the victim, who reported she believed Neville had hitchhiked back to her home from Maine. Murdock said surveillance footage from the scene showed Neville at the home. The trooper said she was told Neville had entered the residence through a broken window.

Murdock said the victim reported Neville had been sending her text messages before this incident, stating she deserved what she got and calling her names, which was another violation of the abuse prevention order, which stated Neville could only have conditional, respectful contact with the victim.

For the leaving the scene of a crash charge, Trooper Skylar Velasquez, also of the State Police, said in his affidavit the victim called police on Sept. 22 to report she was at a business in Waterbury when Neville showed up, greeted the friends she was with and left in a vehicle. Velasquez said the victim reported it appeared Neville was intoxicated. She reported she later discovered the vehicle Neville had been driving had crashed into mailboxes near her driveway, according to court records.

Velasquez said the victim reported she did not locate Neville with the crashed vehicle.

The trooper said Neville was later located at the Waterbury business where the incident first started. He said Neville recognized troopers and ran away, but was apprehended by law enforcement.

These two alleged incidents are separate from the 20 other criminal charges Neville faces in Washington County, including a felony count of attempted first-degree arson, a felony count of unlawful mischief, a misdemeanor count of simple assault, a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence for a second time, as well as multiple misdemeanor counts alleging he violated conditions of release and an abuse prevention order.

For the attempted arson charge, police said Neville placed a Molotov cocktail on a man’s property in July and tried to light it. This victim reported he had been working with Neville on cannabis-related matters when the victim decided against selecting Neville for a head grower position at a local farm, according to court records. Police said the victim reported Neville then started harassing the victim and would stand across the street from the victim’s property and would shoot a gun into the air.

For the simple assault charge, police said Neville confronted this victim on the victim’s property during a separate incident and hit him in the head with a beer bottle.

For the felony unlawful mischief charge, police said after Neville was arraigned on the attempted arson charge, a neighbor called police to report Neville had been disturbing the community by playing “loud satanic music” at all hours of the night. Police said they went to Neville’s home in Waterbury and found a vehicle that belonged to a member of Neville’s family was spray-painted with swastikas and an obscenity was written on the vehicle’s back bumper. The front and rear windshields on the vehicle had been shattered, according to court records.

Neville had been ordered held pending release to a responsible adult during his arraignment on Aug. 3. On Aug. 31, a hearing was held in front of Judge Kevin Griffin where Neville was released to his property in Maine. Neville’s attorney, Andrew Pappone, argued that holding Neville in such a way was a constitutional violation because such an adult could not be found to take custody of Neville. Pappone argued this was a back-door way for the state to hold someone accused of a crime without bail without going through the process of obtaining such a hold.

Deputy State’s Attorney Patricia Shane asked Monday that Neville again be held pending release to a responsible adult and that the $1,000 bail remain in place.

Judge John Pacht, who rotated in and replaced Judge Griffin earlier this month, said he understood the state’s desire to hold Neville. “Because he’s got a lot of charges and he doesn’t seem to get it,” the judge said.

Judge Pacht suggested the state could file a motion to have Neville’s right to bail revoked.

Washington County State’s Attorney Michelle Donnelly noted such a motion had been filed shortly before Monday’s arraignment. Pappone has until Oct. 2 to file his response and then the matter will be set for a hearing.

Judge Pacht said he wasn’t comfortable getting into the responsible adult argument after it had recently been litigated by another judge, and instead decided to again release Neville to his property in Maine.