Farmington man who stops robber charged with felony

[Jets-Fan in Patriots Land]

Farmington homeowner who held burglar to face felony charge

By LAURENNE RAMSDELL
[email protected]
Monday, February 20, 2012


@Cutline nameline:Joseph Hebert
Click here to view Foster's prints for sale

FARMINGTON — The homeowner who held the man allegedly tied to two Ten Rod Road robberies on Saturday at gunpoint until police arrived has now been charged with a felony.

On Saturday afternoon, police were called to two residences near the Farmington/ Rochester town line for reported burglaries. When they arrived on scene, Sgt. Scott Ferguson said 61-year-old Dennis Fleming, owner of one of the burglarized homes, was holding the suspect at bay with a handgun.

Ferguson said Fleming arrived home to find that he had been robbed of some currency and collectible items.

"He took it upon himself to try and locate the suspect," said Ferguson.

Fleming told police he spotted the suspect, later to be identified as 27-year-old Joseph Hebert, climbing out of a first story window of a nearby home.

"When he came across the arrestee, he discharged his weapon and held the male at bay," said Ferguson.

Though shots were fired, Ferguson told Foster's no one was struck.

Police determined that Hebert had stolen property in his possession, which Ferguson said equated to a few hundred dollars in cash, collectible coins, tools and jewelry. Hebert was arrested and is scheduled to be arraigned in Rochester District Court on Tuesday for two counts of burglary and one felony level count of possession of controlled narcotics for his alleged involvement in the two burglaries.

Later Saturday evening however, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Fleming.

According to Ferguson, police consulted with the Strafford County Attorney's Office who advised that a warrant be issued for Fleming's arrest on a felony-level charge for reckless conduct.

Ferguson told Foster's on Sunday that Fleming placed others in danger of serious bodily injury when he discharged his firearm in a residential area where people had gathered to watch the ordeal unfold.

Ferguson noted that Fleming has since gone to the Farmington Police Station and voluntarily turned himself in.

 

[The_Outlaw]

Farmington homeowner who held burglar to face felony charge
By LAURENNE RAMSDELL
[email protected]
Monday, February 20, 2012
@Cutline nameline:Joseph Hebert
Click here to view Foster's prints for sale
FARMINGTON — The homeowner who held the man allegedly tied to two Ten Rod Road robberies on Saturday at gunpoint until police arrived has now been charged with a felony.
On Saturday afternoon, police were called to two residences near the Farmington/ Rochester town line for reported burglaries. When they arrived on scene, Sgt. Scott Ferguson said 61-year-old Dennis Fleming, owner of one of the burglarized homes, was holding the suspect at bay with a handgun.
Ferguson said Fleming arrived home to find that he had been robbed of some currency and collectible items.
"He took it upon himself to try and locate the suspect," said Ferguson.
Fleming told police he spotted the suspect, later to be identified as 27-year-old Joseph Hebert, climbing out of a first story window of a nearby home.
"When he came across the arrestee, he discharged his weapon and held the male at bay," said Ferguson.
Though shots were fired, Ferguson told Foster's no one was struck.
Police determined that Hebert had stolen property in his possession, which Ferguson said equated to a few hundred dollars in cash, collectible coins, tools and jewelry. Hebert was arrested and is scheduled to be arraigned in Rochester District Court on Tuesday for two counts of burglary and one felony level count of possession of controlled narcotics for his alleged involvement in the two burglaries.
Later Saturday evening however, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Fleming.
According to Ferguson, police consulted with the Strafford County Attorney's Office who advised that a warrant be issued for Fleming's arrest on a felony-level charge for reckless conduct.
Ferguson told Foster's on Sunday that Fleming placed others in danger of serious bodily injury when he discharged his firearm in a residential area where people had gathered to watch the ordeal unfold.
Ferguson noted that Fleming has since gone to the Farmington Police Station and voluntarily turned himself in.

SMFH
That is one very f'd up situation.
I hope that the old man just ends up with a slap on the wrist.

 

[fxstchawg]

I hope this gentleman has the charge against him dropped if and when it goes to court. Missed it on the News this morning and would like to know more whether the shots were fired after people had gathered or before to let the criminal know that he was caught and not to move? At least he did not shoot the criminal for he would be in a lot more trouble.

 

[johndoesix]

Next he'll get sued by the criminal for PTSD. What a screwed up society we live in.

 

[Clayton Scott Johnson]

As gun owners we need an advocacy that can defend us in such situations. The system uses our taxes to prosecute us and we generally have limited resources to defend ourselves. The criminals just work the system. Waiting for LEO just gives lawbreakers more time to escape.

 

[SGB]

Only libtards make the victims criminals. The North East might as well be a foreign country.

 

[nhsig220]

As gun owners we need an advocacy that can defend us in such situations. The system uses our taxes to prosecute us and we generally have limited resources to defend ourselves. The criminals just work the system. Waiting for LEO just gives lawbreakers more time to escape.

He is a dumbass! Not because he stopped the guy at gunpoint. He would have been perfectly fine if he didn't fire the so called warning shot. As a gun owner, he should have damn well known better.

 

[anvil6]

"It wasn't a warning shot, yer Honor -- I just simply missed?"

 

[NM Firearms Academy LLC]

Mistakes made by the home owner in my humble opinion were:

- "He took it upon himself to try and locate the suspect,"
-- Unless a person is a sworn officer of the law, citizens should never hunt down a suspect and especially confront them

- "When he came across the arrestee, he discharged his weapon and held the male at bay,"
-- He should never have discharged his weapon unless he was at that instant in time in fear for his life.
--- There was never mention that the suspect was armed, disparity of force or a threat that justified discharging of his firearm.

Situations such as described in this article are reasons why armed citizens should be trained in the legal use of firearms for personal protection.

 

[SGB]

"We the Government of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect State, establish Dominance, insure domestic Servitude , provide for the Government defense, promote general Obedience, and secure the Blessings of the Ruling class to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish that only the Government is empowered to act in the public welfare"

 

[patsfan11762]

Situations such as described in this article are reasons why armed citizens should be trained in the legal use of firearms for personal protection.
Ahh but this is New Hampshire and we are not required to take any sort of class to get our permit, wich I think is wrong, just cause you have a permit doesn't mean you now how to use it. I have had mine about a year now and I have been doing a lot of reading and research, so that I know the rules of engagement.

 

[Tucker's Mom]

Is the police in cahoot with the burglars? Just asking...

 

[patsfan11762]

Link Removed
In this story the guy tells the reporter that he made mistake that he should have called the cops but he was so mad he just went to find the guy

 

[eaccents]

Humble opinion...

Mistakes made by the home owner in my humble opinion were:

- "He took it upon himself to try and locate the suspect,"
-- Unless a person is a sworn officer of the law, citizens should never hunt down a suspect and especially confront them

- "When he came across the arrestee, he discharged his weapon and held the male at bay,"
-- He should never have discharged his weapon unless he was at that instant in time in fear for his life.
--- There was never mention that the suspect was armed, disparity of force or a threat that justified discharging of his firearm.

Situations such as described in this article are reasons why armed citizens should be trained in the legal use of firearms for personal protection.

I don't think the homeowner was wrong to try to *locate the suspect.* Taking the initiative to try to help LE to identify and locate BGs is taking an active role in helping our communities to reduce crime. I think the homeowner's mistake was in *engaging the suspect.*

As @NM Firearms Academy said, "we are not LE." However, I think that we should do what we can to be the eyes and ears that aid them (isn't that what the Neighborhood Watch is all about?). That said, I think this homeowner would have been better served keeping his distance and using a *cell phone* to keep LE abreast of where the suspect was located and what he was doing (exiting another home via the window).

I agree with NM Firearms Academy on all else--especially the part on training and education in the legal use of firearms in your home state.

Stay safe everybody!

 

[Rich_S]

Farmington homeowner who held burglar to face felony charge

By LAURENNE RAMSDELL
[email protected]
Monday, February 20, 2012


@Cutline nameline:Joseph Hebert
Click here to view Foster's prints for sale

FARMINGTON — The homeowner who held the man allegedly tied to two Ten Rod Road robberies on Saturday at gunpoint until police arrived has now been charged with a felony.

On Saturday afternoon, police were called to two residences near the Farmington/ Rochester town line for reported burglaries. When they arrived on scene, Sgt. Scott Ferguson said 61-year-old Dennis Fleming, owner of one of the burglarized homes, was holding the suspect at bay with a handgun.

Ferguson said Fleming arrived home to find that he had been robbed of some currency and collectible items.

"He took it upon himself to try and locate the suspect," said Ferguson.

Fleming told police he spotted the suspect, later to be identified as 27-year-old Joseph Hebert, climbing out of a first story window of a nearby home.

"When he came across the arrestee, he discharged his weapon and held the male at bay," said Ferguson.

Though shots were fired, Ferguson told Foster's no one was struck.

Police determined that Hebert had stolen property in his possession, which Ferguson said equated to a few hundred dollars in cash, collectible coins, tools and jewelry. Hebert was arrested and is scheduled to be arraigned in Rochester District Court on Tuesday for two counts of burglary and one felony level count of possession of controlled narcotics for his alleged involvement in the two burglaries.

Later Saturday evening however, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Fleming.

According to Ferguson, police consulted with the Strafford County Attorney's Office who advised that a warrant be issued for Fleming's arrest on a felony-level charge for reckless conduct.

Ferguson told Foster's on Sunday that Fleming placed others in danger of serious bodily injury when he discharged his firearm in a residential area where people had gathered to watch the ordeal unfold.

Ferguson noted that Fleming has since gone to the Farmington Police Station and voluntarily turned himself in.

Lots of fail on the part of this gun owner here. I can very well see some of the posters on this forum doing the same. Here's an example of what happens when you don't know what you're doing....

 

[unclewayne17]

Hay, don't forget Chicago! It isn't in the north-east.

 

[walt629]

No good deed goes unpunished. Just typical!

 

[nogods]

I can't comment right now - I'm going to go out and patrol the neighborhood.

 

[Glock Fan]

The homeowner let his anger get the best of him and cloud his judgment. As firearm owners, we need to be familiar with the laws of the states where we live and travel. There are numerous people and organizations at any given time just waiting for us to screw up. When we do, it's BIG news. The anti-gun groups will use incidents like this against us.

Even though not "required" by local law, formal firearms training would be a good idea for ANYONE wishing to own/operate firearms. Back in the day when guns were more common, it was tradition for a father to teach his children how to properly and safely use firearms. Times have since changed. With that in mind, find a knowledgeable person to learn how to safely use firearms. This will keep you out of trouble and hopefully out of the media spotlight.

 

[hazard123]

Sure, we the government will give a liscense to carry, or permission to carry, but, if you ever, ever, exercise your rights to use it, we will hang your sorry ass out to dry.