Three men charged with vandalizing homes of two NH radio journalists

The last of four men convicted in Boston, Massachusetts, for targeting the homes of two New Hampshire Public Radio journalists was sentenced on Dec. 6, 2024, to 30 months in prison and three years of probation.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts said Keenan Saniatan of New Hampshire agreed to a plea deal and was sentenced on two counts of stalking and conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate communications in a plan which targeted journalists Lauren Choolijan and Dan Barrick.

Jim Schachter, CEO of NHPR, told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that it was reassuring to see justice pursued against the conspirators, “but as an organization we’ve shared something that no workplace ought to be exposed to.” He said NHPR had upgraded its building security and trained its staff on “situational awareness” in response to the incident.

“The goal here of the perpetrators was to shut down NHPR journalism. And in that, they utterly failed,” Schachter said. “The journalism of NHPR is as strong and aggressive and committed as it’s ever been, maybe even more so.”

Still, the affected journalists had been changed by the incident, he said. “Their sense of security is shaken in a way that will linger for a very long time.”

With attacks on U.S. journalists on the rise, Schachter emphasized the importance of confronting such “anti-American conduct,” adding: “Every time someone who attacks a journalist is brought to justice, we need to be as loud about that as we can to have any hope of discouraging the next person who thinks that it’s OK to attack a journalist who is simply doing their job on behalf of the public.”

The third of four New Hampshire men indicted in Boston, Massachusetts, for allegedly vandalizing the homes of New Hampshire Public Radio journalists Lauren Chooljian and Dan Barrick was sentenced on Nov. 25, 2024, to 46 months in prison and three years of probation, according to court records reviewed by the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker.

Eric Labarge, called by prosecutors the “ringleader” of the stalking campaign, agreed to a plea deal and was sentenced on five counts of stalking and conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and commerce.

Acts of vandalism in 2022 against Chooljian’s current and former residences, her parents’ home and Barrick’s home, all in New Hampshire, have been linked to Chooljian’s 2022 reporting on New Hampshire businessman Eric Spofford.

“Defendant Eric Labarge — one of Spofford’s closest friends — orchestrated a scheme to terrorize NHPR, its employees, and their family members for their reporting about Spofford,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum.

Labarge was also ordered to pay a fine of $10,000, as well as $34,748 in restitution to NHPR, Chooljian and Barrick.

As outlined by prosecutors, the restitution is intended to cover the costs of home repair, installation of home security systems and security monitoring, and enhanced building security for NHPR following the vandalism. It will also pay for “costs associated with scrubbing personal information associated with (Chooljian) and other NHPR journalists from internet search engines, to reduce the likelihood of further victimization.”

The fourth man indicted in the case, Keenan Saniatan, is scheduled to be sentenced in early December.

The second of four New Hampshire men indicted in Boston, Massachusetts, for allegedly vandalizing the homes of New Hampshire Public Radio journalists Lauren Chooljian and Dan Barrick was sentenced on Sept. 9, 2024, to 21 months in prison and three years of probation, according to court records reviewed by the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker.

Michael Waselchuck, following a plea agreement, was sentenced on a charge of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel. A remaining charge for stalking through interstate travel and aiding and abetting was dismissed.

Acts of vandalism in 2022 against Chooljian’s current and former residences, her parents’ home and Barrick’s home, all in New Hampshire, have been linked to Chooljian’s 2022 reporting on New Hampshire businessman Eric Spofford.

The first of the indicted men, Tucker Cockerline, was sentenced last month. Jim Schachter, the president and chief executive of New Hampshire Public Radio, told The New York Times at the time, “If this sentencing and the attention this case has drawn discourage others from attacking journalists just doing their jobs, a greater good will have come from this ugly episode.”

The remaining two indicted men, Eric Labarge and Keenan Saniatan, have pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced this fall.

The first of four New Hampshire men indicted in Boston, Massachusetts, for allegedly vandalizing the homes of New Hampshire Public Radio journalists Lauren Chooljian and Dan Barrick was sentenced on Aug. 27, 2024, to 27 months in prison and three years of probation, according to court records reviewed by the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker.

Tucker Cockerline, following a plea agreement, was sentenced on a charge of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel. Remaining charges for stalking through interstate travel and aiding and abetting were dismissed.

Chooljian’s current and former residences, her parents’ home and Barrick’s home, all in New Hampshire, were vandalized in April and May 2022 with the spray-painted word “CUNT” and bricks and rocks thrown through the windows. Chooljian’s home was also spray-painted with the words “JUST THE BEGINNING.”

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts has connected the vandalism to Chooljian’s 2022 reporting on New Hampshire businessman Eric Spofford.

Two of the other men who were indicted, Michael Waselchuck and Eric Labarge, have pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced this fall. The fourth man, Keenan Saniatan, has a plea hearing scheduled in September.

Four New Hampshire men were indicted on Sept. 8 for allegedly vandalizing the homes of New Hampshire Public Radio journalists Lauren Chooljian and Dan Barrick, according to a press release from the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Chooljian’s current and former residences, her parents’ home and Barrick’s home were vandalized in April and May 2022 with the spray-painted word “CUNT” and bricks and rocks thrown through the windows. Chooljian’s home was also spray-painted with the words “JUST THE BEGINNING.”

The four men — Eric Labarge, Keenan Saniatan, Tucker Cockerline and Michael Waselchuck — were charged in Boston for conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and/or the use of a facility of interstate commerce. Labarge was arrested on Sept. 8; the other three men have been in custody since June.

Each charge in the indictment carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the press release.

The indictment connects the vandalism to Chooljian’s 2022 reporting on New Hampshire businessman Eric Spofford and alleges that Labarge is his “close personal associate.”