By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — A Springfield man is facing up to three years in prison after being charged with a felony violation of an abuse of prevention order stemming from a domestic violence conviction.
According to a probable cause affidavit provided by Vermont Superior Court, on April 2 at 12:11 p.m. the Springfield Police received a call about a relief from abuse order violation. An officer met with the female plaintiff who said that Randall Leach, 45, had violated the order by coming to her apartment that day.
The plaintiff told officers that Leach showed up at her residence that morning at 8 a.m. saying, “Seeing as I’m going to be homeless now, I should at least have clean clothes before I go.” She woke up an hour later hearing his voice and she screamed at him to leave. Leach reportedly then gathered his things to leave, but allegedly bribed her with the medication gabapentin, which she took to prove he was there.
The plaintiff presented officers with a prescription bottle of the drug with Leach’s name, which contained 300 mg capsules that police identified as gabapentin. A man accompanying the plaintiff provided police a statement corroborating her story, as well.
Police then went to a tent campsite off the road in the woods in an area called Morgan Street Hill and approached a man in the tent who identified himself as Leach. He told police he had a no trespass order and restraining order from a bad relationship but denied he had been at the victim’s house. Leach said he dropped off his laundry with the man who previously provided the statement and was away from the house. Police asked Leach if he knew about the Relief from Abuse order, which prohibited him from going to her residence and/or harassing her, and Leach acknowledged that he knew.
Police obtained a copy of the abuse paperwork signed by Judge Lisa Warren on Feb. 24, 2025, which is in effect until Feb. 24, 2026. This order indicates the defendant was present at the hearing, and the order authorizes police to arrest Leach without warrant if he violated the order.
The order states that Leach shall not contact the plaintiff in any way, whether it be directly, indirectly or through a third party. This includes writing, telephone, email and other electronic communication. The defendant may communicate with Leach through text messages to communicate how he is doing, discuss mail, and arrange for a date and time to pick up his mail with a third-party present.
The order also states that the defendant shall not enter her residence for any purpose except conditions provided. The defendant shall also stay 300 feet away from the plaintiff’s residence, place of employment and vehicle.
Police later went back to the wooded area and arrested Leach, who was taken to Springfield Police Department. There, Leach told police that he did not go into the plaintiff’s house. He said he met the man at the corner of Myrtle and Park Street to have the man do his laundry but told officers that this was a ploy for the plaintiff to get his money and disability checks. He also said he gave the plaintiff the prescription bottle because she asked for it, and that he had given it to the man to give to the plaintiff.
Authorities found in his criminal history that he had previously been convicted of domestic assault. Judge Warren authorized the issuance of a citation for April 3 at 12:30 p.m., implementing bail and conditions of release. He appeared in Vermont Superior Court, Criminal Division, Windsor Unit, that day and was subsequently taken to Southern State Correctional Facility to be lodged.
If convicted, Leach is facing up to three years in prison and/or a fine of $25,000.
Leach is being represented by Attorney Evan Antal of the Public Defender’s Office, and has a status conference scheduled for May 7 at 9 a.m.
