4 N.H. males indicted for vandalizing properties related to journalists

4 males had been indicted this week for allegedly harassing and intimidating two journalists employed by New Hampshire Public Radio. Three of the boys had been beforehand charged and arrested in June. 

Prosecutors say New Hampshire residents Eric Labarge, Tucker Cockerline, Michael Waselchuck, and Keenan Saniatan conspired to intimidate the reporters after NHPR revealed a report final 12 months with allegations of sexual misconduct by a former New Hampshire businessperson. To do that, they allegedly spray-painted homes with foreboding messaging and threw objects by means of home windows. 

The journalists are reporter Lauren Chooljian and her editor Daniel Barrick. The businessperson is Eric Spofford, the founder and former proprietor of Granite Restoration Facilities, New Hampshire’s largest community of dependancy rehabilitation facilities, in accordance with a number of earlier studies. 

Spofford, who denied any involvement and the misconduct allegations, has filed a libel lawsuit in opposition to NHPR. That lawsuit is presently on maintain, InDepthNH reported. 

Cockerline, Waselchuck, and Saniatan had been all arrested earlier this 12 months. Labarge was arrested Friday. He’s allegedly “an in depth private affiliate” of “Topic 1,” reportedly Spofford. 

Labarge allegedly solicited Cockerline to vandalize Chooljian’s former residence in Hanover, N.H., in April 2022. On April 24, Cockerline spray-painted a vulgar phrase in giant pink letters on the entrance door and threw a brick by means of the window of the house, prosecutors stated. 

Round that point, Saniatan allegedly agreed to vandalize Barrick’s dwelling in Harmony, N.H. and Chooljian’s dad and mom’ dwelling in Hampstead, N.H. He spray-painted the identical vulgar phrase on the entrance door of Barrick’s dwelling and threw a big rock on the exterior of the constructing, prosecutors stated. Additionally they allege he threw a “softball-sized” rock by means of a window of Chooljian’s dad and mom’ dwelling and spray-painted the identical phrase. 

Round Might 18, Labarge allegedly solicited Cockerline to vandalize the Hampstead dwelling and Chooljian’s dwelling in Melrose, Mass. Cockerline then allegedly recruited Waselchuck. 

On Might 20, Cockerline allegedly spray-painted the vulgar phrase in giant pink letters on the storage doorways of Chooljian’s dad and mom’ dwelling and left a brick on the bottom close to the entrance door. Just a few hours later, Waselchuck allegedly threw a brick by means of the window of Chooljian’s Melrose dwelling and spray-painted the phrase “JUST THE BEGINNING” on the entrance of the home.