CLINTON — A 60-year-old man was arrested Monday afternoon after his girlfriend told police he was stealing pills from her prescription.

Andrew L. Fertig, of Clinton, was charged with stealing drugs, a class C felony punishable by up to five years in jail and up to a $5,000 fine.

His girlfriend, who has lived with Fertig since 2013, had a prescription for oxycodone but told her doctors that she struggled with the pill count, according to Chief Rusty Bell, of the Clinton police. She didn’t think people from the neighborhood would be stealing from her, but eventually Fertig admitted taking pills, Bell said.

Fertig also was arrested on charges of prior domestic violence terrorizing and prior domestic violence assault, which his girlfriend didn’t want to report officially when she talked to police in late July, Bell said. The alleged incidents would occur when Fertig had been drinking alcohol or taking drugs, according to Bell.

“He had threatened her that he would chop her up and throw her in the woods somewhere,” Bell said on the phone Tuesday. “She was really scared.”

The woman initially talked with police about what was going on in case she disappeared but didn’t file an official report on the incidents, Bell said. On Monday, she felt she needed to move forward with a police report, he said.

The two additional charges are also class C felonies. The woman also filed for a protection order, which was served to Fertig yesterday, Bell said.

Fertig was taken to the Kennebec County jail in Augusta. A judge is scheduled to determine his bail Wednesday. A booking photo was not immediately available.

Madeline St. Amour — 861-9239

mstamour@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @madelinestamour

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