Three New Hampshire males had been charged Friday with harassing and intimidating two New Hampshire Public Radio journalists after the outlet revealed an article final 12 months detailing allegations of sexual misconduct by the founding father of the state’s largest habit remedy community.
Police arrested Tucker Cockerline, 32, and Michael Waselchuck, 35, on Friday after the pair, together with Keenan Saniatan, 36, vandalized the journalists’ properties in addition to the residences of one of many journalists’ rapid relations with bricks, massive rocks, and purple spray paint.
Federal prosecutors mentioned Saniatan “remains at large” as of Friday. Federal Magistrate Judge Paul Levenson signed a warrant for Saniatan’s arrest on Thursday. A listening to the place a choose may determine if Cockerline and Waselchuck ought to stay in jail as their case performs out is scheduled for Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Boston.
People have a proper to precise their opinion however taking it “over the line” and vandalizing properties “will not be tolerated,” mentioned FBI Boston Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher DiMenna.
“Freedom of the press is a cornerstone of any healthy democracy and these three men are now accused of infringing on that freedom by conspiring to harass and intimidate two New Hampshire journalists who were simply doing their jobs,” DiMenna mentioned in a press release.
Prosecutors accused Cockerline, Waselchuck, and Sanitan of vandalizing properties related to NHPR reporter Lauren Chooljian and NHPR editor Daniel Barrick on 5 events in April and May 2022 after the publication of an article on Eric Spofford, founding father of the Granite Recovery Centers, in March 2022.
“The critical role that the press plays in our society goes back to the founding of our nation. Today’s charges should send a clear message that the Department of Justice will not tolerate harassment or intimidation of journalists. If you engage in this type of vicious and vindictive behavior you will be held accountable,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy mentioned in a press release.
Lawyers for Waselchuck and Cockerline didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark Saturday afternoon. It was not clear if Saniatan had retained a lawyer.
The three males had been charged with conspiring to commit stalking by interstate journey, which carries a jail sentence of as much as 5 years and a $250,000 high quality.
The vandalism began on April 24, 2022, when a brick was thrown by a window of Chooljian’s home, investigators mentioned. An specific phrase derogatory towards girls was spray painted in massive purple letters on the entrance door, in response to court docket paperwork.
The identical phrase was additionally spray painted on Barrick’s entrance door and the outside of the house was broken by a big rock, in response to court docket paperwork.
Spofford’s legal professionals threatened NHPR with a defamation lawsuit and requested the outlet to retract or alter the article, in response to court docket information. The outlet declined. The two sides met in May 2022, when NHPR once more declined to take away the article, court docket paperwork mentioned.
The day after the May assembly, two properties related to Chooljian had been vandalized with bricks and purple spray paint, in response to investigators.
Just earlier than 1 a.m. an individual spray painted the identical phrase, which begins with a “C,” in massive purple letters on the storage doorways of Chooljian’s dad and mom’ residence in Hampstead, investigators mentioned. A safety digital camera captured video of the suspect.
Just earlier than 6 a.m. the identical day, an individual threw a brick by the window of Chooljian’s residence in Melrose and spray painted “JUST THE BEGINNING” in massive purple letters on the entrance of the home, in response to court docket paperwork. A doorbell digital camera captured video of the suspect.
“There is probable cause to believe that the vandalisms were retaliatory acts intended to harass and intimidate NHPR and its employees, including victims one and two, for publishing the article concerning subject one,” investigators mentioned in court docket paperwork.
FBI brokers mentioned Cockerline and Sanitan had searched Google for all 5 of the vandalized properties, typically inside hours and even minutes of the properties being vandalized.
Investigators additionally mentioned Cockerline and Sanitan had been in shut communication with a recognized affiliate of Spofford, who “solicited” them to vandalize residences related to Chooljian. Cockerline and Sanitan exchanged “numerous voice calls” with the affiliate within the days earlier than and after the vandalism in April.
Cockerline and the affiliate spoke over the cellphone earlier than and after the May vandalism, in response to court docket paperwork. The affiliate additionally tried to name Saniatan “around the same time,” investigators wrote.
“In light of the timing of these calls relative to the vandalisms and the fact that Cockerline and Saniatan subsequently searched for the addresses of the vandalized homes using Google, there is probable cause to believe these communications concerned the vandalisms,” court docket paperwork mentioned.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”