BURLINGTON — A not guilty plea has been offered in federal court on behalf of a Newport felon facing a charge of being in possession of a Ruger 9-mm and ammunition that he reportedly stole by placing a knife to the throat of a local man earlier this year.

Andrew “Deuce” Ladouceur, 40, of Alderbrook Road is being held at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans Town on the single felony charge stemming from the robbery about 5:48 a.m. April 17, records show.

He waived his appearance at his arraignment Thursday and Magistrate Judge Kevin Doyle entered the not guilty plea.

Assistant Federal Defender Emily Kenyon asked for 30 days to investigate the case and to consider filing pre-trial motions. Doyle set a Sept. 21 deadline.

Newport Police said they received a report from a local man that he had been robbed and his Ruger 9-mm pistol and ammunition had been stolen by Ladouceur, according to a federal court affidavit.

The victim stated he was in fear for his life and thought Ladouceur would kill him by cutting his throat with his knife, according to Newport Police Officer Colin Sykes.

Sykes, who is a member of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Task Force in Vermont, wrote in his affidavit that law enforcement knew Ladouceur to be violent and has encountered him frequently with a knife.

Sykes said other unrelated reports have said Ladouceur is listed in police computer systems as a “potential flight risk and potential suicide by law enforcement risk.”

Ladouceur was initially named in a federal criminal complaint for three felonies: possession of a stolen firearm, being a felon in possession of a stolen firearm and obstruction of interstate commerce by robbery, according to court records. The new indictment was whittled down to a single felony.

Sykes said law enforcement attempted to speak to Ladouceur on multiple occasions around April 17, but he refused and repeatedly ran away even when police officers ordered him to halt.

A witness told Newport Police on April 23 Ladouceur was in a local apartment and possessed a black 9-mm pistol and was aware that it matched the gun the victim had been known to own, Sykes wrote.

Sykes wrote that the witness reported Ladouceur offered to sell the pistol for $100.

A second unidentified witness reported that he or she had seen Ladouceur run into an apartment on April 17 when he was attempting to elude law enforcement, police said. The witness said Ladouceur bragged he had stolen the firearm and had pistol-whipped the owner before running off with the stolen gun, Sykes wrote.

Ladouceur has multiple felony convictions and is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm, police said. His felony convictions include an escape in November 2024 and second degree aggravated domestic assault due to a prior conviction. He received a 43-to-44 month sentence for escape and 53-to-54 months for the domestic case with the sentences imposed concurrently, court records show.

Ladouceur also has a felony conviction for burglary, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Arra said. She said because he always tries to run from law enforcement it was another reason to have him detained.

Sykes filed a criminal complaint on May 8, but it remained under seal until Ladouceur could be caught and brought into Federal Court on May 22.

Meanwhile, Newport Police had earlier ordered Ladouceur to appear in Vermont Superior Court on May 19 to face charges of possession of cocaine and possession of depressants for a March 2 incident.

Ladouceur never showed up and an arrest warrant has been issued by a state judge, a court spokesman said Friday.

Newport Police Officer Andrew Gonyaw reported that he conducted a traffic stop near 535 Main Street about 9:45 p.m. on March 2 for multiple motor vehicle violations. The 2004 maroon Dodge Dakota was operated by Belinda Turk, 41, and included Ladouceur and two other passengers, police said.

Gonyaw said a check was run on the four people and records showed Ladouceur had a pending arrest warrant. He said Ladouceur passively resisted, but eventually was taken into custody.

During a search of Ladouceur, police determined he appeared to be carrying a clear plastic bag with a white rocklike substance, Gonyaw said in his court affidavit.

Police also seized, a white cylinder pipe with burnt white residue, an empty plastic bag, some choirboy – all pieces of paraphernalia consistent with illegal drug use, Gonyaw said in his sworn affidavit.

Deputy State’s Attorney Samuel Swope filed the two charges and Judge Rory Thibault found probable cause to proceed.