Craft found incompetent to stand trial


 

POUGHKEEPSIE — Two court-appointed psychiatrists have found Christopher Craft, 42, of Stanfordville, mentally incompetent to stand trial. He was sent to Mid-Hudson Psychiatric Center in Orange County following an arraignment at the Dutchess County Courthouse on Nov. 30.

Craft is accused of holding Stissing Mountain Middle School Principal Robert Hess hostage at gunpoint for more than two hours on Nov. 10 with a 12-gauge shotgun. He surrendered after speaking with hostage negotiators from state and county police departments. Students at Stissing Mountain Middle/High School were all evacuated safely.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Ed Whitesell confirmed that court documents state Craft wanted to attract media attention to what he claimed was unfair treatment of his son, Christopher Craft Jr., by the United States Army. He was reportedly looking to get social services for himself and his son, Whitesell said, and he was seeking Hess’ help in arranging a meeting with FBI and military personnel to discuss his son’s treatment.

Craft will be kept at Mid-Hudson Psychiatric until it is determined that he is competent to stand trial, explained Chief Assistant Public Defender Thomas Angell, who is Craft’s attorney.

"Normally people come back within a couple of months [to stand trial]," Angell said. "It’s rare, I’ve only had a few cases where someone stayed beyond the one year mark."

If that mark is met, Angell explained that another court order would be required to keep Craft at the psychiatric center.

Until Craft is able to stand trial, the criminal case cannot move forward. Craft entered not-guilty pleas to 11 felony charges and three misdemeanors during the arraignment before Dutchess County Court Judge Thomas Dolan.

Felony charges include one count of kidnapping in the second degree, two counts of criminal use of a firearm, one count of criminal possession of a weapon, two counts of burglary in the second degree, two counts of criminal trespass in the first degree and one count of unlawful imprisonment.
He also faces three misdemeanor counts of menacing. If convicted, Craft faces a sentence of up to 25 years in state prison.

Latest News

Mountaineers keep kicking in state tournament

Ava Segalla, Housatonic Valley Regional High School's all-time leading goal scorer, has takes a shot against Coventry in the Class S girls soccer tournament quarterfinal game Friday, Nov. 7.

Photo by Riley Klein

FALLS VILLAGE — Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s girls soccer team is headed to the semifinals of the state tournament.

The Mountaineers are the highest seeded team of the four schools remaining in the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Class S playoff bracket.

Keep ReadingShow less
Legal Notices - November 6, 2025

Legal Notice

The Planning & Zoning Commission of the Town of Salisbury will hold a Public Hearing on Special Permit Application #2025-0303 by owner Camp Sloane YMCA Inc to construct a detached apartment on a single family residential lot at 162 Indian Mountain Road, Lakeville, Map 06, Lot 01 per Section 208 of the Salisbury Zoning Regulations. The hearing will be held on Monday, November 17, 2025 at 5:45 PM. There is no physical location for this meeting. This meeting will be held virtually via Zoom where interested persons can listen to & speak on the matter. The application, agenda and meeting instructions will be listed at www.salisburyct.us/agendas/. The application materials will be listed at www.salisburyct.us/planning-zoning-meeting-documents/. Written comments may be submitted to the Land Use Office, Salisbury Town Hall, 27 Main Street, P.O. Box 548, Salisbury, CT or via email to landuse@salisburyct.us. Paper copies of the agenda, meeting instructions, and application materials may be reviewed Monday through Thursday between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:30 PM at the Land Use Office, Salisbury Town Hall, 27 Main Street, Salisbury CT.

Keep ReadingShow less
Classifieds - November 6, 2025

Help Wanted

Weatogue Stables has an opening: for a full time team member. Experienced and reliable please! Must be available weekends. Housing a possibility for the right candidate. Contact Bobbi at 860-307-8531.

Services Offered

Deluxe Professional Housecleaning: Experience the peace of a flawlessly maintained home. For premium, detail-oriented cleaning, call Dilma Kaufman at 860-491-4622. Excellent references. Discreet, meticulous, trustworthy, and reliable. 20 years of experience cleaning high-end homes.

Keep ReadingShow less