Man jailed on probation complaint
Toolbox
By Gordon Dritschilo Staff Writer - Published: November 25, 2009
A West Rutland man on probation is back in jail after a variety of new charges.
Christopher Johnson, 26, of Marble Street, pleaded innocent Monday in Rutland District Court to misdemeanor charges of violating an abuse prevention order, drug possession and unlawful mischief. He also denied violating his probation from a previous collection of charges.
Johnson was ordered held without bail because of the probation complaint.
"The charges are Mr. Johnson basically failing to meet any part of probation from mid-July on," Deputy State's Attorney Kevin Klamm said. "He dropped off the face of the Earth while living next door. You can't live next door and not come to visit."
Johnson responded by saying that he had been working at a Mount Mansfield job site, making it difficult for him to report, and the address characterized as "next door" was a room he had rented two weeks previously.
Two of the new charges dealt with alleged incidents of harassment.
On Nov. 18, police said Johnson threw a rock through the window of a Rutland woman, smashing it. The woman had a restraining order against him and police said he violated it again Friday, accosting her near the Rutland City police station, threatening to kill her.
Police said they caught up to Johnson later that night after answering a disorderly person call at the Rutland Shopping Plaza, where they found Johnson and arrested him. Police said he had prescription painkillers Percocet and Endocet on him at the time of his arrest.
If convicted of the new charges, Johnson could be sentenced to a maximum of 2-1/2 years in prison and $7,500 in fines. He received a four- to 18-month suspended sentence last year for which he was on probation.
gordon.dritschilo@rutlandherald.com
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