by Daniel Duric, for the Newport Dispatch

BARTON — A Barton man who fired multiple shots through a neighbor’s home where a toddler was present received a deferred sentence after pleading guilty to assault charges.

Judge Rory Thibault deferred sentencing for two years for Brent A. Bapp, 39, who pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Bapp also received a suspended 10-to-12-month sentence on two counts of criminal threatening and one count of reckless endangerment.

The charges stem from July 2021 incidents documented by Vermont State Police Trooper Daniel Lynch.

On July 11, 2021, a neighbor reported Bapp acting belligerently before multiple bullets were fired through his home from the direction of Bapp’s property. Investigators found five bullet holes showing where rounds entered and passed through the residence, which contained two adults and an 18-month-old child at the time.

Police recovered shell casings in Bapp’s driveway during their investigation.

The following morning, Bapp’s behavior escalated, according to the affidavit. He allegedly screamed at the neighbor from the property line, drove a bulldozer around the area, walked with a shotgun or rifle, and cut down trees along the boundary.

Around 1 p.m. on July 12, the neighbor called police while hiding in bushes, reporting Bapp had threatened to kill him and his family and rape his wife. The neighbor said he feared for his family’s safety.

When questioned by troopers, Bapp implied he may have said something to his neighbor but denied making specific threats. He also denied brandishing weapons, though he acknowledged having firearms placed around his property and handling one earlier that day.