A longtime Vermont State Police trooper is facing 16 criminal charges across two counties.

A longtime Vermont State Police trooper, who was put on leave after a $14,000 Rolex watch disappeared from a storage area at the Williston barracks, is facing 16 criminal charges across two counties. Former State Trooper Giancarlo DiGenova, 44, of Essex, is due for arraignment on Thursday in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington and again in court in Barre on April 6. The investigation started as one complaint, but eventually spread to four cases. The alleged incidents happened between June 2021 and November 2022. One case involves charges of grand larceny, neglect of duty, false information to police, and unprofessional conduct. The second case involves charges of petty larceny, sale of stolen property and neglect of duty. The third case involves charges of petty larceny, fraud or deceit and neglect of duty. The fourth case, which was handled by the Vermont DMV, involves false swearing, neglect of duty and applications to be under oath. DiGenova arrived at the state police barracks in Royalton for processing on Monday morning. He was taken into custody, fingerprinted, photographed, and released with his court citations. The initial case mushroomed when investigators determined additional instances of stealing personal property from storage areas, and using his position as a state trooper to gain access to these secure rooms.