A Norridgewock man indicted by a Somerset County grand jury in June on charges of domestic violence assault and aggravated cruelty to animals for allegedly crushing the skulls of two kittens, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on six felony weapons charges.
Vance A. Cayford Jr., 45, is charged in U.S. District Court with three counts of possession of ammunition by a prohibited person and two counts of attempted possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
The grand jury in Bangor alleges that Cayford, as a convicted felon, violated federal law May 29 by possessing 92 rounds of .45-caliber Federal brand premium ammunition through interstate commerce. Anyone convicted of a felony in Maine is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The charges stem from a domestic violence conviction on April 23, 2014, in Kennebec County Superior Court and an illegal firearms possession in Somerset County court entered on the same date, according to court documents. The grand jury also notes another assault conviction on Oct. 28, 2002, in Waterville District Court. The charge of attempted possession of a firearm allegedly involved Cayford’s effort to get a Heckler & Koch 416, 5.56 mm by .45-caliber rifle, which also allegedly was shipped and transported through interstate commerce.
All six counts are class C felonies under federal law, punishable with convictions by prison time of up to 10 years and $250,000 in fines on each charge. It was not known Thursday if he has been to court on the federal charges or if he has a lawyer.
A call to the U.S. attorney’s office for information was not returned Thursday.
Cayford is being held without bail on the federal charges at the Somerset County Jail in East Madison, according to a jail intake worker. Bail also is not allowed on a probation violation and was set as $10,000 on the recent criminal charges.
Cayford was indicted in June by a grand jury in Somerset County. He faces five criminal charges, three of them felony charges. In a court affidavit, police said Cayford threatened a woman with a gun, refused to submit to arrest and killed the two kittens by smashing their heads on the corner of a refrigerator, all May 29.
He is charged by the grand jury with domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, aggravated cruelty to animals, violation of a protective order and refusing to submit to arrest.
Doug Harlow — 612-2367
Twitter:@Doug_Harlow
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