By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — A Springfield man with a lengthy criminal history no-showed his arraignment for felony charges of domestic violence and larceny, and was arrested the same day for allegedly trespassing and stealing items from Shaw’s Supermarket.
Nathan Heist, 29, was arrested on March 11 and charged with retail theft and unlawful trespassing. According to information provided by Vermont Superior Court, Heist was due in court for an arraignment that day for a pair of felony charges stemming from a Jan. 14 citation but failed to appear. A warrant was issued, and he was arrested on March 13 and held on $15,000 bail. On March 14 he was arraigned on the two felony charges of larceny and domestic assault and pled “not guilty.”
According to a report by the Springfield Police Department, at 7:45 p.m. on March 11, an officer witnessed Heist committing “multiple criminal offenses” at Shaw’s Supermarket.
“Officer (Gabriel) Freeman observed Heist allegedly unlawfully trespass into the store after being previously banned and then proceeded to allegedly steal items from the store,” the report stated.
Freeman was on routine patrol when he observed the theft in real-time, according to the report. When Heist tried to leave the store without paying for the alleged stolen goods, he was apprehended by Freeman.
Heist was issued a citation to appear in Vermont Superior Court, Criminal Division, Windsor Unit on May 6 at 8:30 a.m. to answer to the charges of retail theft and trespassing.
On Jan. 13 officers spoke to a female who Heist was formerly in a relationship with. She said Heist entered her apartment without warning, reportedly asked her for money so he could go to the “clinic,” but she because she didn’t want to support a drug habit, she said no.
Heist allegedly took her purse and tried to leave, and the female blocked the exit resulting in a struggle. He allegedly scratched the woman on the chest, but regained possession of the purse that was valued at about $90. Officers located Heist on Jan. 14 and issued him a citation to appear in court on March 11.
The larceny charge has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $500 fine, and domestic violence with a prior conviction carries a possible penalty of five years in prison and/or a maximum fine of $10,000.
According to a clerk at Vermont Superior Court, Heist is still being held and has a status conference on April 30 at 9 a.m. to answer to the two felony charges.
