Evaluation ordered again for man accused of threatening Vt. speaker

If convicted, Wolfe faces a maximum sentence of one year and eight months in prison. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in December.

According to court records, Wolfe caused a disturbance at the State House in October. Police said Wolfe was yelling, and when officers offered to discuss his issues in a side room he became more agitated, stating police were violating his rights. Wolfe was then taken into custody for being disorderly, according to court records.

Police said House Speaker Jill Krowinski had told them earlier in the day about a threatening email Wolfe had sent to her about tax data.

According to court records, Wolfe had asked Krowinski to respond to his request about the data and said, “if I do not receive at the very least, an email or phone call, within a month (11-04-2021), I am going to have to exercise my right to bare-arms pertaining to improper seizure of Vermont inhabitants, tax payers, and voter’s property, of which I am.”

Wolfe told police he had a rifle in his vehicle when he was taken into custody. Police said they located an unloaded muzzleloader inside a gun case in Wolfe’s vehicle after executing a search warrant.

Police said on Wolfe’s Facebook page investigators found multiple photos of Wolfe with the gun.

On May 27, Wolfe posted a video of himself with the gun and stated, in part, “And for the record, I have zero problems putting a government official to death based on the severity of the offense,” according to court records.

Wolfe had initially tried to represent himself at his arraignment in December, but ultimately accepted the assistance of a public defender. That representation wasn’t reflected in court records, however, nor was Judge John Treadwell’s order calling for a competency evaluation for Wolfe.

So Washington County State’s Attorney Rory Thibault filed a motion in January asking for the evaluation and for Wolfe to have stand-by counsel until the evaluation was complete.

A hearing was held on the motion Friday. Wolfe, who now lives in Rutland, represented himself.

Thibault said in the motion that Wolfe was hospitalized for over two months following the incident at the State House.

“The State believes the hospitalization of the Defendant immediately following the incident requires inquiry into his competency to stand trial and sanity at the time of the alleged offenses,” Thibault wrote.

Wolfe said he objected to the evaluation and he had filed a motion stating his argument, but Judge Kevin Griffin said he had not received any such filing from Wolfe. The judge said based on the state’s filing and the seriousness of the charges, he would grant the state’s request for an evaluation.

Griffin said he also was going to appoint a defense attorney to represent Wolfe at least through the evaluation process.

Attorney Maggie Vincent has been assigned to the case, according to court records. Vincent represented Wolfe at his arraignment.

eric.blaisdell

@timesargus.com