New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Stalking Journalist

BOSTON – A New Hampshire man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in two conspiracies to harass and intimidate two journalists employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR). The harassment and intimidation of the victims included the vandalism – on five separate occasions – of the victims’ homes and the home of one of the victims’ parents with bricks, large rocks and red spray paint.

Eric Labarge, 46, of Nashua, N.H., pleaded guilty to a five-count superseding Information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and using a facility of interstate commerce; one count of conspiracy to commit stalking using a facility of interstate commerce; one count of stalking using a facility of interstate commerce and aiding and abetting; and two counts of stalking through interstate travel and aiding and abetting. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Oct. 18, 2024. Labarge was arrested and charged in September 2023 along with co-conspirators Tucker Cockerline, Michael Waselchuck and Keenan Saniatan.

In March 2022, an NHPR journalist (Victim 1) published an article 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 a close personal associate of Subject 1 – conspired with Cockerline, Waselchuck and, allegedly Saniatan, 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. On the evening of April 24, 2022, Cockerline spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door and threw a brick through an exterior window of the home;
• On or about April 22, 2022, in a conspiracy with Labarge, 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. 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 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, recruited Waselchuck to vandalize Victim 1’s residence; and
• Thereafter, 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 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.

Cockerline and Waselchuck have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Saniatan is scheduled for trial on Sept. 9, 2024.

Each charge 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.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Concord, Hampstead and Hanover, New Hampshire Police Departments, the Melrose, Massachusetts Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.