Vermont cop denies charges of kidnapping, sexual assault

A Vermont police officer faced a judge on Monday, charged along with his father in connection with what investigators say was the long-term sexual abuse of a family member. Our Kiernan Brisson reports.

Zachary Pigeon, 29, and his father, Allen Pigeon, 56, were arrested on Sunday on multiple charges, all surrounding one victim-- a female family member.

The victim told investigators she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Zachary Pigeon between 2003 and 2007. Police say when she recently threatened to reveal the alleged attacks, Pigeon and his father kidnapped and assaulted her.

Zachary Pigeon is currently a St. Albans police officer, a job he's had since returning home from serving overseas in the Marines.

St. Albans Police Chief Gary Taylor says that Zachary Pigeon's arrest came as a complete surprise to the entire department.

"There is nothing, nothing whatsoever in his file that would show up as a red flag or an indicator of any of the things that I have now heard that he is alleged to have done," Taylor said.

Taylor told me that Zachary Pigeon went through the police academy. He underwent a personality assessment, was polygraphed twice and underwent a background investigation.

"We went all through it. He polygraphed twice-- and there is nothing," Taylor said.

Both men pleaded not guilty to all the charges and have been released on conditions pending their trials.

St. Albans Police put Zachary Pigeon on unpaid administrative leave.