Federal prosecutors in Boston have announced criminal charges against three individuals accused of vandalizing the homes of journalists in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. These acts of retaliation were in response to an investigation into a local businessman.
The charges stem from a series of incidents that occurred last spring after New Hampshire Public Radio aired an exposé on sexual misconduct allegations against Eric Spofford, the former owner of the state’s largest network of drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. Spofford later sued the news organization for libel.
Although Spofford was not named in the criminal complaint, a person familiar with the investigation confirmed that “Subject 1” referred to Spofford. The complaint revealed that a close associate of Subject 1 solicited the three men to carry out the attacks on the journalists’ homes.
Lauren Chooljian, a senior reporter at the radio station, had her window smashed and her house graffitied, while her editor, Daniel Barrick, was also targeted. Furthermore, Ms. Chooljian’s parents’ home was vandalized twice within a month.
These attacks represent an unusually aggressive assault on a small news organization. Combined with legal threats against journalists and their sources by Eric Spofford, it appears to be part of a broader pattern of powerful individuals resorting to extreme measures to harm journalists who provide negative coverage.
The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documented 41 cases of physical assault on journalists last year, including one instance where a Nevada politician was charged with murdering a reporter investigating him. In response to these attacks, Joshua S. Levy, the acting U.S. attorney for Massachusetts, asserted that the Department of Justice will not tolerate harassment or intimidation of journalists.
The federal prosecutors charged Tucker Cockerline, Keenan Saniatan, and Michael Waselchuck with conspiracy to commit interstate stalking. While Cockerline and Waselchuck were arrested on Friday, Saniatan remains at large. If convicted, they face up to five years in prison.
The complaint identifies “Subject 2” as the person who allegedly solicited the attacks. It is stated that this individual, who resides in New Hampshire, had frequent phone communication with Subject 1.
Eric Spofford has not yet responded to requests for comment. He has previously denied the sexual misconduct allegations and their connection to the vandalism, suggesting that one of his supporters might have taken misguided action on his behalf.
After New Hampshire Public Radio published its investigation into Spofford, he repeatedly threatened legal action against the news organization and its sources. The homes of Lauren Chooljian and her parents were vandalized shortly after NHPR refused Spofford’s demand to retract the article.
Spofford filed a lawsuit against NHPR and others in September, but the case was dismissed by a state judge. However, Spofford plans to file an amended suit.
The criminal complaint reveals that the FBI obtained phone records and other evidence showing the accused men coordinating with Subject 2 around the time of each attack. Additionally, location data from their cellphones corresponds to the times and locations of the vandalism.
The perpetrator who attacked Ms. Chooljian’s home in Melrose, Massachusetts, wearing a blue raincoat and carrying a backpack, was captured on a doorbell camera. Interestingly, an image of Michael Waselchuck from a month earlier shows him wearing a similar raincoat and backpack. Furthermore, Waselchuck’s cellphone records indicate his presence near Chooljian’s home during the attack.
Lawyers for Tucker Cockerline and Michael Waselchuck declined to comment, while Keenan Saniatan could not be reached. Jim Schachter, the CEO of New Hampshire Public Radio, expressed his trust in the justice system to hold the perpetrators accountable and emphasized that journalists should not fear violence or attacks on their homes for doing their jobs in the public interest.
The investigation is still ongoing, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office.
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