Pittsfield man trying to retrieve necklace arrested after woman says he threatened her, her kids with a gun

Posted Friday, July 13, 2018 7:36 pm

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PITTSFIELD — A city man is being held without bail for allegedly threatening a woman at gunpoint in her Onota Street residence.

The answer to why he showed up at the house while armed depends on who you ask.

Sherwin M. Victor, 42, told police he was trying to retrieve an $800 gold necklace he believes was stolen by the woman's boyfriend. The boyfriend told police Victor showed up looking to collect a $40 debt owed to him.

About 3:22 p.m. Thursday, the woman called police and told them a man banged on her door, flashed a gun and threatened to kill her. She said the man was still in the area, sitting in a parked SUV in front of her home.

When police arrived, they saw a parked vehicle matching the description, with a man in the driver's seat and a woman in the front passenger seat.

With weapons drawn, officers approached the vehicle and ordered the pair to place their hands outside of the windows, which they did.

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Vincent was asked out of the car. He told police he was carrying a gun in a holster on his right hip and that he had a valid gun license, which police verified.

Police identified the weapon as a .40 caliber Glock handgun, loaded with eight rounds.

The woman told police Victor had come to the house twice that day; once about 7:30 a.m. and again that afternoon.

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She told police Victor had come to the house to demand the return of a gold necklace he believes her boyfriend stole from him the night before.

In the earlier incident, Victor allegedly showed up at the home, looking for the man he believed stole his necklace and banged on the windows for about 30 minutes before leaving.

The second time, Victor allegedly came to the back of the house and was let just inside the back door into the kitchen.

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Victor then allegedly threatened to kill the woman and her children and pointed the gun at her head before she was able to close the door and get him out of the home before calling the police.

The woman in Victor's vehicle, who was apparently not charged, denied Victor ever brandished his gun.

Victor pleaded not guilty in Central Berkshire District Court on Friday to a lone count of home invasion.

At a dangerousness hearing that followed the Victor's arraignment, Judge Jennifer Tyne ordered him held without bail for four months.

Victor is due back in court on July 27 for a pretrial hearing.

Bob Dunn can be reached at bdunn@berkshireeagle.com, at @BobDunn413 on Twitter and 413-496-6249.