(File photo by NANCY WEST) Judge Philip Cross is seated at the end of the table in a November 2021 hearing on his nomination for circuit court judge.

CONCORD — Arrested in late March and charged with two felonies and one misdemeanor count accusing him of phoning in a threat to the state Judicial Branch Court Information Center against circuit court Judge Philip Cross, South Berwick, Maine resident Christopher Butler is now under indictment on the felony charges, the state Attorney General’s office announced Monday.

Butler, 37, continues to be held in jail on preventive detention pending arraignment on the indictments, a date for which has yet to be scheduled.

Count one alleges that Butler “did threaten bodily injury on a phone call to the Court Information Center, against Judge Philip Cross, a member of the judiciary, for the purpose of influencing an action by Judge Philip Cross, as part of his official duties.”

Count two accuses Butler of threatening bodily injury on a phone call to the Court Information Center against Cross, with the purpose of retaliating against Cross for one of his orders, which was part of his official government duties.

The third charge on which Butler was arrested — criminal threatening — is a misdemeanor that is still pending, according to authorities. It accuses Butler of threatening bodily injury against Cross “with a purpose to terrorize any person” in a phone call to the Court Information Center.

According to a New Hampshire Public Radio story on Butler’s March arrest, Butler, upset over Judge Cross’s handling of Butler’s long-running divorce case, allegedly made threats against Cross on the Court Information Center’s recorded phone line, according to NHPR.

He allegedly twice threatened to stab Cross, once using a pencil, and then a ceramic knife, which he allegedly said he could get past court security, NHPR reported.

Assistant Attorney General Dan A. Jimenez of the Public Integrity Unit is prosecuting the case, officials said, adding that members of the Strafford County Sheriff’s office assisted in the investigation.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.