AUGUSTA — A lawmaker’s criminal gun charges might be resolved in time for him to rejoin the Legislature, his attorney said Tuesday.
Rep. Frederick L. Wintle, R-Garland, is accused of pulling a loaded handgun on a stranger in a Waterville parking lot May 21. He was in Kennebec County Superior Court for a status conference Tuesday, charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and carrying a concealed weapon.
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His attorney, Leonard Sharon, told Justice Michaela Murphy he is in talks with District Attorney Evert Fowle about a potential resolution in the case.
Outside the courtroom, Sharon said he is seeking “a resolution that will take into account the psychological issues and ensure that he can remain as a legislator.”
He said Wintle, 58, has been undergoing treatment and is now living at home. “He’s doing much better,” Sharon said.
Wintle is free on $3,500 cash bail, with conditions that bar him from being on the State House complex grounds unless he has written permission from House Speaker Robert Nutting, R-Oakland.
After inquiring about the date of the next grand jury session, Murphy set Wintle’s next status conference for Sept. 13.
Generally, prosecutors will present a felony charge, such as criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, to a grand jury for indictment.
Sharon told the judge he might return to court sooner than Sept. 13 to seek a bail reduction.
Wintle, who wore a shirt, tie and jacket to court, did not address the judge and left the courtroom shortly after the brief hearing.
Wintle had undergone a psychological evaluation soon after his arrest, which occurred May 21 in the parking lot of Dunkin’ Donuts on Kennedy Memorial Drive in Waterville after he allegedly pointed a .22-caliber handgun at Michael Seamans of Sidney, a photographer for the Morning Sentinel who was stopping for coffee on the way to work.
According to Seamans, Wintle said he was looking for the drug dealer of a dead baby’s mother in Waterville.
Seamans called police after Wintle pulled the handgun from his waist band and pointed it at Seamans.
Legislative colleagues reported seeing a behavior change in Wintle months before the May incident; his aberrant behavior in March led Capitol Police to issue him a notice barring him from being in the office of the executive director of the Legislature.
Nutting previously said he had tried to talk to Wintle about his behavior and had sought out Wintle’s pastor for assistance.
Wintle, a 20-year Air Force veteran, is a writer. He has no criminal record and is a freshman legislator representing Athens, Charleston, Dexter, Garland, Harmony and Ripley.
Betty Adams — 621-5631
badams@centralmaine.com
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