Suspect in armed standoff faces additional charges

A rural Litchfield man arrested after an armed standoff with authorities faces additional charges for assault and illegal possession of weapons.

Thomas Warren Pitts, 27, of Litchfield, barricaded himself in a residence on 640th Avenue Tuesday, after Meeker County Sheriff’s deputies arrived to arrest him. Pitts had an outstanding felony warrant for failing to register as a sex offender in Minnesota.

The standoff ended with Pitts surrendering peacefully. His pending charges include two counts of a felon possessing a weapon and second-degree assault with a weapon, for allegedly pointing a 20-gauge shotgun at a deputy.

Pitts has two previous felony sex convictions from Wisconsin.

(Jorge Sosa is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sosa@hutchinsonleader.com)