Man pleads not guilty to involvement in ATV theft

A Springfield man was in court Friday to face a charge stemming from the reported theft of a four-wheel ATV parked near a shed in Cavendish last November.

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2017-07-15 / Local Springfield man pleads not guilty to involvement in ATV theft By ALLAN STEIN Eagle Times correspondent WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A Springfield man was in court Friday to face a charge stemming from the reported theft of a four-wheel ATV parked near a shed in Cavendish last November. Jesse LaFlam, 44, of 8 Summer St. pleaded not guilty to grand larceny over $900 in Vermont Superior Court, Windsor Criminal Division. Judge Theresa DiMauro set bail at $5,000 on condition that LaFlam does not come within 300 feet of the alleged victim or his residence. LaFlam is due back in court for a status conference on Aug. 15. According to the arrest affidavit of Vermont State Police Trooper Austin Soule, LaFlam told officers that a male accomplice had offered him $100 in exchange for stealing a new generator from a private residence on Perley Brown Road in Cavendish. "LaFlam was expected to drive to the location, while [the accomplice] gave directions. LaFlam had tools in his trunk that could be used to burglarize," Soule said. The two broke into a shed next to the house looking for the generator, but they were unable to locate it. They then attempted to kick in the back door and break a window, but they were not successful. Soule said LaFlam was walking back to his car when he noticed his accomplice was "messing around" with a yellow-and-black Can-Am four-wheel ATV valued around $3,500. The accomplice managed to get the vehicle running and drove it back to his house, followed by LaFlam in the car. "The plan was for [the accomplice] to sell the Can-Am and give LaFlam half of what he sold it for," Soule said. Police caught LaFlam riding the four-wheeler in Springfield on Nov. 26 and arrested him, police said.