Second man accused of vandalizing journalists' homes pleads guilty in New Hampshire

Also: New Hampshire Man Who Harassed and Intimidated Journalists Pleads Guilty (U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts}

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Source: Associated Press

Second man accused of vandalizing journalists’ homes pleads guilty in New Hampshire

Updated 11:34 AM EST, February 9, 2024

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A second man has pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with threats and vandalism targeting public radio journalists in New Hampshire.

Prosecutors allege that four men were involved in a plot to vandalize the homes of New Hampshire Public Radio news director Daniel Barrick, reporter Lauren Chooljian and Chooljian’s parents in retaliation for a report detailing sexual misconduct allegations against a prominent businessman.

Michael Waselchuck, 36, of Seabrook, was accused of throwing a brick through a window at Chooljian’s home in May 2022 and spray-painting the words “JUST THE BEGINNING!” on the front of the house.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/new-hampshire-public-radio-vandalism-attacks-ce924c1a43f3c436c2dc25956b1687b6

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Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts

New Hampshire Man Who Harassed and Intimidated Journalists Pleads Guilty

Thursday, February 8, 2024
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts

BOSTON – A New Hampshire man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his role in a conspiracy to harass and intimidate a journalist employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) and the journalist’s parents.

Michael Waselchuck, 36, of Seabrook, N.H., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and the use of a facility of interstate commerce before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani who scheduled sentencing for May 10, 2024. Waselchuck was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2023 along with co-conspirators Tucker Cockerline and Keenan Saniatan. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury along with Eric Labarge in September 2023. Cockerline previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy in December 2023.

According to the charging documents, an NHPR journalist (Victim 1) published an article in March 2022 detailing allegations of sexual and other misconduct by a former New Hampshire businessperson, identified in the charging document as Subject 1. Another NHPR journalist (Victim 2) also contributed to the article, which appeared on NHPR’s website during and after March 2022. In response to this reporting, Labarge — who is alleged to be a close personal associate of Subject 1 — Saniatan, Cockerline and Waselchuck allegedly agreed to harass and intimidate Victims 1 and 2 and their immediate family members. Among other things, the indictment alleges that:

• On or about April 22, 2022, Labarge solicited Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1’s former residence in Hanover, N.H., using a brick and red spray paint. Thereafter, on the evening of April 24, 2022, Cockerline spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door and allegedly threw a brick through an exterior window of the home;
• On or about April 22, 2022, Saniatan allegedly agreed to vandalize Victim 2’s home in Concord, N.H., and Victim 1’s parents’ home in Hampstead, N.H., using large rocks and red spray paint. Thereafter, on the evening of April 24, 2022, Saniatan allegedly spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door and threw a large rock at the exterior of Victim 2’s home; and he allegedly threw a softball-sized rock through a front exterior window and spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on one of the garage doors of Victim 1’s parents’ home;
• On or about May 18, 2022, Labarge allegedly solicited Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1’s parents’ home in Hampstead, N.H., and Victim 1’s home in Melrose, Mass., using bricks and red spray paint. Cockerline, in turn, allegedly recruited Waselchuck to vandalize Victim 1’s residence; and
• On the evening of May 20, 2022, Cockerline spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on one of the garage doors of Victim 1’s parents’ home, and left a brick on the ground near the front door. Several hours later, Waselchuck allegedly threw a brick through an exterior window of Victim 1’s home and painted the phrase “JUST THE BEGINNING” in large red letters on the front of the house.

Each charge in the indictment carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

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Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/new-hampshire-man-who-harassed-and-intimidated-journalists-pleads-guilty