ST. ANDREWS, New Brunswick – The man at the center of last summer’s riot on New Brunswick’s Grand Manan Island, off the Maine coast, was found guilty Monday of threatening to kill his neighbors.

But Judge Bill Grant found Ronald Ross not guilty of possessing a weapon dangerous to the public, saying Ross’ home was under siege during the riot and the gun he had was for self-defense.

Grant says he was satisfied that Ross had threatened on July 2 to kill his neighbors and burn down their homes.

Ross’ home was burned to the ground during the riot late that month.

Ross, 42, will be sentenced on May 7.

Four island residents were convicted for their role in the riot on July 22. They accused Ross of being a drug dealer, and said they feared Ross and his friends were planning to harm island residents.

Ross has admitted to smoking crack cocaine, but says he didn’t sell it.

Ross threatened to kill his neighbors Carter Foster and Sarah Wormell.

During the trial, Foster described the threat Ross leveled at him and Wormell after the couple returned to the island in the Bay of Fundy from a camping trip.

While he was away, Foster said an SUV parked at Ross’ house burned and that Ross was incensed.

He said Ross piled wooden pallets on his lawn and placed two propane tanks on top of the pile “saying he was gonna burn the neighborhood down.”

He said Ross told him, “You better sleep with one eye open ’cause you’re gonna get a flaming ball of fire coming through your window.”

Ross and his friends clashed with a group of about 40 islanders on the night of the riot, which involved an exchange of gunfire and ended with Ross beaten and his house burned.

Ross’ lawyer, Joel Hansen, argued that his client lived in fear amid threats that islanders, including Foster, wanted him gone and were planning to burn his house.

The verdict in the trial was scheduled to be delivered last Thursday but was delayed when Ross failed to appear in court after a ferry crossing was delayed from Digby, Nova Scotia, where he now lives.