Former Ranger's bail set at $20,000 after Shapleigh gunplay incident

Robert Ferrera III (York County Jail photo)

ALFRED, Maine - The Shapleigh man and former Army Ranger who was arrested on Sunday for allegedly firing an AK-47 in and around his home is being held on high bail, but has been transferred to a state facility that specializes in treatment of veterans.

Robert Ferrera III, 26, was arraigned on Monday for violating conditions from previous arrests including for criminal mischief and violating probation in July 2014 and carrying a concealed weapon in February 2013. Violating conditions of release routinely result in no bail being offered.

Ferrera was initially to have been released on $500 cash, according to a York County Sheriff's Office press release on Sunday, but that was amended to no bail shortly after due to the seriousness of the charges, including reckless conduct with a firearm in connection with Sunday's arrest. His bail has since been set at $20,000 cash.

Ferrera was transferred on Wednesday afternoon from the York County Jail in Alfred, Maine, to the Kennebec County Jail where they have a Veteran's Unit specifically designed to address issues relevant to his situation, York County Sheriff William King said.

The Sunday incident began around 4:30 p.m. when York County Sheriff's Deputies were summoned to Oak Hill Road in Shapleigh for an "out of control" man. Upon further inquiry, deputies learned that Ferrera was upset over a living situation and got his AK-47 semi-automatic rifle and began firing it, according to a YCSO press release.

Ferrera, who also owned an M-4 semi-automatic rifle, lives in a residence on a communal property where another family member lives close by in a separate residence. Once Ferrera started firing his weapon, the family member, fearing for his life, fled his residence and summoned the sheriff's office.

Deputies responded and learned that Ferrara had been shooting his weapon randomly inside and outside of his house. They set up a perimeter and monitored his movements. The deputies noticed that Ferrera, a former Army Ranger, emerged from his residence several times with a weapon and binoculars, almost appearing to be "looking" for the deputies, the press release noted.

After about an hour, Ferrera emerged from his residence and started walking toward the tree line toward two deputies who were hidden in the woods. Ferrera was not armed when he was confronted and surrendered peacefully at approximately 5:50 p.m.

Investigation revealed that Ferrera fired his weapons around 15 to 20 times.