A man who was released from prison 12 days prior was arrested Thursday after an hours-long SWAT standoff in Gwinnett County, authorities said.
Christopher Hughes Osterloh, 36, of Dahlonega, is accused of squatting in a nearly $3 million mansion in the 6600 block of Garrett Road in Buford, Gwinnett police said in a news release. The 10,000-square-foot home is for sale, and the homeowner told police Osterloh appeared to be living there without her permission.
The homeowner called police around 12:30 p.m. after discovering Osterloh inside the home, the release said. Police said he was former military, and he allegedly told negotiators he was armed.
Police weren’t able to elaborate on his military experience or whether a weapon was recovered from the scene. It’s also unclear if he is homeless.
A SWAT team arrived, and the situation was treated as if a gunman had barricaded himself in the home, the release said. Osterloh allegedly refused to come out until the SWAT team deployed a chemical irritant into the home, forcing him to surrender.
He was booked into the Gwinnett jail on charges of criminal trespass and criminal damage to government property. He also has an active warrant out of Lumpkin County.
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
This is his seventh booking in Gwinnett, according to jail records. He has also been convicted of several crimes in Gwinnett, Hall and Rockdale counties, including impersonating an officer, obstruction, criminal trespass and theft among others, according to Georgia Department of Corrections records.
Since 2007, he has been to prison four times. His most recent stint ended on March 23 when he was released from Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison in Butts County after about five months, records show.
This Gwinnett standoff happened the same day as another standoff in Henry County, which began after two officers were shot in Stockbridge. As of 8 p.m., the suspected gunman in that situation remained barricaded inside the home with at least one hostage.
MORE: 2 Henry County officers shot; suspected gunman in house
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