SANFORD — A 36-year-old man faces charges of domestic violence criminal threatening after allegedly holding his family at gunpoint overnight.

Police say they were called to 93 Railroad Ave. in Springvale just before 2 p.m. Thursday and found Richard Crocker outside the house. His wife and three children were inside and she said they had been kept there since Wednesday, police said. Crocker had unplugged the telephones, she said.

The woman said she had some minor injuries and the children were not harmed, police said. Crocker said the woman could leave but not with the children and so she stayed, calling police when Crocker went outside, allegedly to commit suicide, police said.

Police recovered a pistol after arresting Crocker. He was taken to Goodall Hospital for an evaluation and is being held in York County Jail on $25,000 bail.