A New Hampshire man, Michael Waselchuck, has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to harass and intimidate journalists from New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) and their families.
Waselchuck, along with others, targeted the journalists after they published an article exposing misconduct by a former New Hampshire businessperson.
The group vandalized the homes of the journalists and their family members, using bricks and red spray paint.
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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 – Cockerline, Waselchuck and Saniatan agreed to harass and intimidate Victims 1 and 2 and their immediate family members.
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.
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On the evening of May 20, 2022, Cockerline spray painted 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.
Labarge and Saniatan have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. In August 2024, Cockerline was sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
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