BARRE — A San Francisco man is accused of attacking another man he met on a dating app.
Moss Palmer, 52, pleaded not guilty Monday in Washington County criminal court in Barre to a felony count of first-degree aggravated domestic assault and a misdemeanor count of criminal threatening.
If convicted, Palmer faces a maximum sentence of 16 years in prison. He was released on conditions including not to contact the victim.
Trooper Ryan Riegler, of Vermont State Police, said in his affidavit a man called police on June 9 to report a man named “Moss” has accosted him with a frying pan. Riegler said the victim reported the man, later identified as Palmer, had tried to choke him.
The trooper said emergency responders located the victim on Route 2 in Plainfield.
He said the victim reported he had met Palmer on the dating app Grindr on June 8. The victim reported he and Palmer met that same day, and Palmer took him to Plainfield, according to court records.
After the pair had been intimate, Riegler said the victim reported Palmer’s attitude changed. The trooper said the victim reported Palmer demanded the victim leave the home, and Palmer stated he was going to kill the victim. He said the victim reported Palmer accused the victim of stealing items from Palmer.
Riegler said Palmer refused to give the victim a ride back home.
The victim reported at one point, Palmer held both hands over the victim’s nose and mouth for a couple seconds, according to court records. The trooper said the victim reported Palmer then raised a cast-iron pan in a way that made the victim believe Palmer was about to hit him with the pan. Riegler said the victim also gave an accurate description of the inside of the home in Plainfield.
Riegler said he then spoke with Palmer, who reported he was in Plainfield to help clean up a home for a family friend.
The trooper said Palmer denied any and all contact with the victim, telling investigators he had no idea what they were talking about. He said Palmer denied meeting the victim on Grindr and instead reported he uses a different dating app.
Riegler said he then showed Palmer screenshots the victim had taken of Palmer’s Grindr profile and he admitted he had a profile on the app. He said Palmer would not let investigators see his Grindr profile.
Washington County State’s Attorney Michelle Donnelly had asked in court Monday that Palmer be held on $25,000 bail since he has no ties to the community.
“The state is very concerned that if he leaves the jurisdiction, he will not return for the prosecution of this case,” Donnelly said.
Palmer’s attorney, Andrew Pappone, noted Palmer was cited in to court on June 9 and appeared for his arraignment on Monday.
“If he wanted to flee from prosecution, he would have fled from prosecution,” Pappone said.
While he acknowledged the lack of ties, the defense attorney said Palmer reported he would appear for future court appearances.
Judge Kevin Griffin opted not to hold Palmer and instead released him on conditions. The judge said Palmer has no prior criminal history, nor has any information been presented showing Palmer has ever missed a court appearance before.
Judge Griffin said should Palmer not appear in the future, an arrest warrant would be issued under which Palmer would be picked up in California and brought back to Vermont.
eric.blaisdell
@timesargus.com
