The Barre courthouse and state office building. Photo by Bob LoCicero
Stuart Rollins, 58, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Washington County Superior criminal court to a felony charge of lewd and lascivious conduct as well as four misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct, and single charges of unlawful mischief and criminal threatening.
Two of those disorderly conduct charges for abusive language included hate crime enhancements that increased the possible maximum penalty for each disorderly conduct charge by 18 months, from a maximum penalty of six months in prison to a maximum of two years.
Barre City Police said in a release that at 2:48 p.m. Monday they responded to a reported fight on Hillside Avenue in Barre. Witnesses reported that Rollins, who lived across the street, had gone to their residence and assaulted a man there, according to police.
Rollins was no longer on the scene when responding officers arrived, the release stated. Police said the officers took statements at that scene and tried unsuccessfully to find Rollins.
Later, at around 4:11 p.m. Monday, police said witnesses told them that Rollins had gone outside his residence, pulled down his pants and exposed himself to a family, which included a young child.
A witness told police that he saw Rollins yelling at the family from across the street, “Go back to Mexico” and “Go back to your country,” court records stated.
A woman also told police that she was in the flower garden of her home with her husband, mother-in-law and young child when she saw Rollins standing in the middle of the road, laughing and telling them he forgot something, according to court records.
He dropped his pants and exposed himself to all of them, and then he went to the back of his home “saying things about Mexicans,” the woman told police in a statement.
Rollins, who witnesses described as appearing drunk, had gone back in his residence and wouldn’t answer his door when police arrived. He was arrested Tuesday morning, according to police.
Witnesses told police that the incidents involving Rollins had escalated throughout Monday, including an instance when he allegedly called a woman a “fucking Spanish bitch” as he threatened to set her on fire and burn her home.
Rollins allegedly admitted to police that he knocked down the family’s mailbox, but said he did it because a man in the family had assaulted him.
Washington County State’s Attorney Rory Thibault said late Tuesday after Rollins’ arraignment that he had asked that a $5,000 secured appearance bond be imposed for bail. That bond would have required a $500 deposit, the prosecutor added.
However, Rollins was released on conditions set by Judge Mary Morrissey, including that he abide by a curfew and stay away from witnesses in his case.
If convicted of all the charges against him, Rollins could face more than 10 years in prison.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Barre man accused of harassing Hispanic family faces hate crime charges.