By Mike Donoghue
Vermont News First
WILLISTON — Vermont State Police say they arrested four people, including the vice chairman of the Jericho Selectboard, on charges of criminal trespassing and resisting arrest when they refused to leave a private building that houses a federal law enforcement office in Williston on Thursday.
Those arrested were:
Peter Booth, 58, the vice chairman of the Jericho selectboard, Henry Prensky, 79, of Burlington, Aiden Balentine, 39, of Montpelier and Casey Seem, 20, of Oakham, Mass. They are due in state criminal court in Burlington on June 30.
For Booth and Prensky it was the second time arrested for a similar blockade at a building containing a support office for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, state police said.
Criminal charges against Prensky, Booth and 11 others were not pursued by Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George after a February protest, officials said.
It was unclear if George will pursue the new criminal charges from Thursday. She told news outlets it was too early to decide because no court paperwork had been received.
George, in declining prosecution for the February offenses, wrote that if any of the individuals’ behavior escalates or they reenter the building to protest, her office will “will re-consider the merits of this case and determine the best course of action,” Vermont Public reported.
Prensky and Booth were arrested for a second time for re-entering the data facility, known as the White Cap Business Park.
George has avoided filing criminal charges against defendants involved in protesting ICE in Chittenden County. She also gave a recent pass to six people arrested by state and Burlington Police during a major disturbance on Dorset Street in South Burlington in March.
Vermont State Police will have the option of sending the court paperwork also to Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark, who has concurrent jurisdiction in criminal court and could have her criminal division file charges.
Clark, a resident of Williston, has now seen a handful of protests at the ICE-related facilities in Vermont. Clark is up for re-election this year.
At least one counter-protestor arrived in Williston with a large flag supporting ICE.
Those arrested were among a group of people who entered the building to protest federal agencies — including ICE — that occupy space there alongside private businesses and a medical office.
It is not a federal building, but rather privately owned, officials said. The building manager said the individuals were trespassing, refused to leave when asked, and requested that police remove them from the property.
Williston Police Chief Patrick Foley said his department responded and also asked for assistance from Vermont State Police, which has specially trained crowd control units to deal with protestors. Federal Protective Services also arrived.
When police spoke with protest leaders several people opted to leave the inside of the building. Others indicated they would need to be arrested, state police spokesman Adam Silverman said.
The four remaining protestors refused to comply with standard arrest procedures, Silverman said. Troopers were required to use physical police intervention and separation tactics, he said.
Each arrested person refused compliance with fingerprinting and photographing procedures at the Vermont State Police barracks in Williston, police said.
The ICE office on Industrial Avenue is part of a national effort to help identify and remove illegal immigrants that are unlawfully in the country, U.S. Homeland Security has said.
The ICE facilities arrived in Vermont with much fanfare many years ago with federal, state and local political leaders citing the high-paying technology and enforcement jobs. They also noted Vermont was further leading the way in helping to enforce immigration laws.
The protest began with blocking a handful of entrances and exits before the regular work day and ended around noontime.