Swanzey man gets deferred jail term in South Road standoff case

As part of the court-ordered conditions, MacNeil must continue mental health treatment.

A Swanzey man at the center of a police standoff two years ago was handed a deferred jail sentence Tuesday in Cheshire County Superior Court.

Ian MacNeil, 38, entered guilty pleas to disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors, ending a case that began after a neighbor reported troubling sounds from his apartment on Sept. 12, 2024. Police said the situation escalated when MacNeil pointed a pistol at a Swanzey officer who responded to the scene.

The confrontation led to hours of efforts by troopers and Swanzey police to get him to come out of the residence. Authorities said he stayed inside and refused to surrender until he was taken into custody around 1 p.m. that day by a State Police K9.

The episode affected the South Road neighborhood, where officials closed roads, altered school bus service and moved several nearby residents out of their homes while the standoff continued.

MacNeil had originally faced a felony charge of criminal threatening with a deadly weapon. Under Tuesday’s ruling, he received a 12-month Cheshire County jail sentence with credit for time already served if it is imposed, deferred for one year and eligible for additional deferment. He also received a separate 12-month jail sentence that was suspended for five years.

As part of the court-ordered conditions, MacNeil must continue mental health treatment.