Gordon Bissonnette was charged with second-degree intimidation based on bigotry bias because of the threats he made against a lesbian couple in his family, police said. He is also charged with second-degree threatening and second-degree harassment.
Bissonnette left relatives threatening voice messages from Dec. 12 until Christmas day, some of which were directed at the couple. He also called family members and threatened to shoot people, police said.
Capt. Brian Mullins said Bissonnette seems angry at everyone in his family, including his own mother.
He is also “fearful of the influence members of his family, both gay and straight, are having on his daughter,” said Mullins. Bissonnette’s daughter is 18 years old.
Bissonnette is in custody with bail set at $75,000. His case is pending in Superior Court in Bristol where he is scheduled to appear Jan. 24.
Mullins said Bissonnette did not attempt to carry out his threats and does not own a firearm.
By Hilda Muñoz, Hartford Courant