SKOWHEGAN — A resident of the Trinity men’s homeless shelter has been sentenced to 30 days in jail for having a loaded handgun on shelter premises and threatening to shoot the church pastor.

Skowhegan Police Chief Ted Blais said police were called to the McClellan Street shelter at about 5:30 p.m. on April 28 in response to a report of a domestic disturbance.

After determining no domestic assault had taken place, police were told that resident Raymond Lewis had a gun and was prepared to shoot Richard Berry, senior pastor of the Trinity Evangelical Free Church, which runs the shelter.

“Basically it was a witness who felt as though it was important to bring that information to the officers that were right there,” Blais said Tuesday. “It was kind of interesting timing that one thing was reported and that this other thing was going on.”

Blais said the witness told police that he saw Lewis loading the handgun’s magazine and making a statement that he would shoot Berry. The gun was a Hi Point Firearms .45-caliber pistol, he said.

Lewis consented to a search of his vehicle, and the gun was recovered from his glove box, Blais said. He was arrested and charged with terrorizing with a dangerous weapon.

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On Friday, during his initial appearance in court, Lewis pleaded guilty to the terrorizing charge and was sentenced to 364 days in jail with all but 30 days suspended and one year administrative release or probation.

On March 11, police rounded up four men who had been staying at the shelter and arrested them on outstanding warrants. Three were arrested at the shelter. Last year, a shelter resident, John Donovan, was charged with stealing prescription drugs belonging to residents and was sentenced to 30 days in jail as part of a plea deal.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @Doug_Harlow


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