Vermont State Police have arrested three Bridport men for vandalism in connection to incidents on farms in Addison County.
State police announced Monday that Christopher Thompson, 26; Christian Leggett, 19; and Bryan Ashley-Selleck, 26 have been cited on several charges including multiple acts of vandalism and firing a weapon.
Charges include 3rd degree arson, aggravated stalking, providing false information to a police officer, petit larceny, noise in nighttime and unlawful mischief.
Police said the incidents were part of a feud between local farm families.
Migrant Justice, a local activist organization, called on police to investigate last month after farmworkers reported their houses were surrounded by groups of people yelling insults, breaking windows and air conditioning units and firing guns into the air.
Police said most of the incidents occurred late at night or in early morning hours at properties near farms.
“The investigation has indicated that Ashley-Selleck, Leggett and Thompson committed multiple acts of vandalism, such as damaging property, and other offenses, including at one point firing a weapon, as part of a feud between local farm families that began as a dispute over access to a fishing area,” the VSP said in a statement.
The three face multiple charges and are set to be arraigned in Vermont Superior Court in Middlebury on Oct. 7.
The VSP said that it consulted with the Addison County State’s Attorney’s Office during the investigation, which is ongoing.
“The Vermont State Police also provided notice to the Vermont Attorney General’s Office under the Bias Incident Reporting System during this investigation, and VSP will continue to work cooperatively with all relevant stakeholders,” the VSP said in its release.
No bias-related charges have been filed.
Police also are continuing to investigate another incident of harassment at a different Addison County farm, and ask those with information to contact Trooper Mae Murdock at 802-388-4919.
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