Man to face charges for gun threat

BENNINGTON — A man who was removed from an appointed town office last year after police said he falsified information on his application was accused over the weekend of pointing a gun at a man.

Chris Gagne, 38, of Bennington, is expected to be charged with felony counts of unlawful restraint, aggravated assault with deadly weapon and carrying a deadly weapon, according to a press release from Lt. Lloyd Dean of the Bennington Police.

Dean said that a Bennington resident, who police did not identify, came to the police station on Friday around 2:30 p.m. to make a complaint. The resident said Gagne pointed a gun at him during an argument inside a Union Street apartment.

Officers John Behan and Lawrence Cole took a statement from the resident and a witness who saw the two arguing. Behan obtained a search warrant for the Union Street apartment.

Police approached the apartment and knocked loudly with no answer. The apartment was kept under surveillance until a team of officers could be brought in to execute the search warrant but Gagne was not inside.

Police learned that Gagne was inside a home in Williamstown, Mass.

Officers with the Williamstown Police Department arrested Gagne at 2:30 a.m. at the home on Saturday as a fugitive from Vermont.

Dean said Gagne is expected to be arraigned in Massachusetts as a fugitive, which will begin the process by which he will be extradited back to Vermont to face the felony charges.

Gagne also has pending misdemeanor charges of false pretenses, possession of stolen property, providing false information to police and false advertising.