LEBANON — When Maine State Police, with a warrant in hand, went looking for Billie Gregoire, 48, on New Year’s Day, they found him hiding in a closet.

They’d gotten a tip that he was drunk and at a home located at 168 Upper Guinea Road in Lebanon.

When the four officers — a sergeant, a corporal and two troopers — arrived, Gregoire allegedly refused to come out of the house.

Gregoire was wanted on a warrant revoking his probation stemming from a protection from abuse order, police said in a statement.

Troopers were given permission from the homeowner to go inside and look for him.

He was located hiding in a closet were he allegedly became uncooperative with troopers and grabbed a brown rifle case. He was subsequently removed from the closet and after a brief struggle, was taken into custody.

Police said they later discovered that the rifle case that Gregoire grabbed contained a rifle. He was transported to the York County Jail on the warrant and charged with Class C felony possession of a firearm by a felon and Class D misdemeanor refusal to submit to arrest.

State Police said charges are also being explored because of the nature of the incident and Gregoire’s criminal history.

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