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Local white nationalist Max Misch takes plea deal

By Michael Albans, Bennington Banner 16 hrs ago

BENNINGTON — Self-proclaimed white nationalist and Iraqi war veteran Max Misch pleaded guilty Monday to a single felony aggravated domestic assault charge and a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct as a hate crime as part of a plea arrangement with prosecutors that dismissed several other pending charges — including a second hate crime, obstruction of justice, a separate domestic assault, and two other disorderly conduct charges dating back to 2020.

Judge John Valente, filling in for Judge Cortland Corsones, who has overseen the case since 2020, accepted the plea deal and sentenced Misch to one to three years, all suspended, plus two years of probation on the aggravated assault charge. He then sentenced Misch to 90 to 180 days, also suspended, plus two years of probation on the disorderly conduct as a hate crime charge. Both sentences will run concurrently.

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The aggravated assault charge stemmed from a Christmas Eve of 2020 incident in his residence when he broke the arm of his girlfriend in an altercation. The hate crime charge dates back to July of 2021, when Misch had an altercation on a Bennington street with two minority youths that escalated into maliciously motivated conduct based on race. He faced a 15-year maximum sentence if convicted of the felony aggravated assault, and a two-year maximum on the hate crime, if convicted.

Misch, 39, has several other cases still making their way through the judicial system, including four separate violations related to his long-standing gun case. A defense motion to dismiss the still outstanding misdemeanor charges — possession a large capacity ammunition feeding device — is currently being reviewed by Corsones, with a decision pending. The motion, the second attempt to dismiss the charge, is based solely on a recent United States Supreme Court precedent ruling on an overturned New York State law concerning the second amendment. That case and the violations associated with it are being handled by the Vermont Attorney General’s office.

When asked for a statement before he was sentenced, Misch said, “I think this is a fair sentence.” ... He then thanked the judge and walked out to collect his parole paperwork.