LIVERMORE FALLS – State prosecutors will not pursue charges against Town Manager Jim Chaousis after witnesses complained in June that he accused them of stealing his wallet and threatened them after a selectmen’s meeting, police said Friday.
“The district attorney’s office has declined any prosecution based on what the investigation has revealed,” State Police Trooper Michael Chavez said. “Mr. Chaousis’ actions did not rise to the criminal level, he did not make any specific threats of bodily injury nor did his actions place anyone in fear of bodily injury or harm.”
Livermore Falls police turned the investigation over to an outside agency at the recommendation of Androscoggin County District Attorney Norman Croteau after the June 7 incident because it involved a town official and residents.
Chavez said he formally interviewed those individuals identified as witnesses and the accounts, by and large, matched.
According to witnesses Chaousis reported a wallet stolen from his unlocked office at the municipal building the evening of June 7, following a selectmen’s meeting.
Residents talking politics in the town parking lot told police in witness statements that Chaousis came flying out of the town office, used profanity and accused them of taking his wallet and that they felt threatened. A selectman who was there said no accusations were made.
Chaousis declined to press charges over the missing wallet.
Witnesses wanted the threatening case pursued.
Chaousis made a public apology for his behavior to witnesses, town officials and residents at a June 21 selectmen’s meeting. He also said he tried to issue an apology to each of the residents that had been in the parking lot.
Chaousis had said then that he had very little sleep over that weekend before that meeting when his second daughter was born. She arrived a few weeks earlier than expected.
“I made a terrible mistake,” Chaousis said in June. “You cannot talk to people that way.”
While Chaousis said the account of the incident was blown out of proportion in the newspaper, witnesses stood behind their account of the incident.
However resident Val Nichols said at the time “I accept his apology.”
Chaousis declined comment on the DA’s decision on Friday. Witnesses available Friday said they reserved their option to possibly comment on the decision for the future.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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