Northfield man accused of threatening school shooting held without bail

GREENFIELD — A Northfield man facing criminal charges for allegedly threatening gun violence upon his town’s elementary school last week was deemed too dangerous to release on bail and will be held for up to 120 days as the legal process unfolds.

Theodore R. Sweeney Jr., 46, of Millers Falls Road, pleaded not guilty in Greenfield District Court on Monday to two counts of threatening to commit a crime, and single counts of threatening to commit a school shooting and disturbing the peace. Judge William Mazanec III presided over Wednesday morning’s dangerousness hearing.

Assistant District Attorney Aidan Lanciani, who is prosecuting this case, said in court that Sweeney had threatened two school staff members over the telephone on Friday, saying “I will come there and shoot every one of you.” Lanciani also mentioned Sweeney’s prior convictions for violent offenses.

Defense attorney Nora Leovich told Mazanec that people at the school misheard her client, who said he would sue — not shoot — them. She argued unsuccessfully for Sweeney to be released with an ankle monitoring device and an order to stay away from Northfield Elementary.

Sweeney reportedly told Northfield Police he was upset with the school over the handling of a custody arrangement, with the school providing police with documentation outlining custody stipulations for the involved child.

Sweeney is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on April 28.

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