The Vermont Attorney General’s Office has dropped charges against a former St. Albans police officer and his father that were filed after authorities accused the two men of breaking into a woman’s home in April and assaulting her.
In addition, the Attorney General’s Office says it has also dismissed sexual assault charges against the former officer, Zachary Pigeon, 30, of St. Albans, involving the same woman allegedly assaulted in the break-in. The sex offense were alleged to have taken place over five years when the woman was a child.
“The State provided notice that it cannot meet the elements of the charged crimes beyond a reasonable doubt at this time,” Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon announcing that the charges had been dropped.
In connection with the alleged break-in, Zachary Pigeon and his father, Allen Pigeon, 57, of Swanton, had faced charges of burglary, aggravated assault, kidnapping, obstruction of justice and simple assault in connection with the April incident. At that time, Pigeon was a police officer in St. Albans and off-duty.
According to a police affidavit filed in the support of the charges, Zachary Pigeon broke into her home, beat her up, threw her down a flight of stairs, and burnt her repeatedly with a cigar — all with the help of his father.
The woman, according to court filings, said she was “100% certain” Zachary and Allen Pigeon were the perpetrators despite her assailants wearing surgical masks.
She also told authorities they threatened her to stay silent about previous assaults.
Both men had pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Attempts to reach Zachary and Allen Pigeon for comment Thursday afternoon were not immediately successful.
