Ringleader of Stalking Campaign Against Journalists Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison

Press Release

Defendant hired others to harass journalists and their families in retaliation for reporting about his close friend

BOSTON - A New Hampshire man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for orchestrating a conspiracy to harass and intimidate journalists employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) and their family members.

Eric Labarge, 46, of Nashua, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 46 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to complete 200 hours of community service, pay a $10,000 fine and pay restitution of $34,139 to the victims. In July 2024 Labarge 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. Labarge was arrested and charged in September 2023 along with co-conspirators Tucker Cockerline, Michael Waselchuck and Keenan Saniatan.

"Mr. Labarge was the ringleader of a targeted, terror campaign that caused the victims-journalists exercising the First Amendment rights and the families -incredible fear and emotional harm. Mr. Labarge's terror campaign sent ripples of fear throughout the journalism community and violated the bedrock principles enshrined in the Bill of Rights," said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. "Our office remains steadfast in our commitment to safeguarding the rights of journalists to report without fear of retribution and to put behind bards those who try to silence the media through threats and violence."

"Eric Labarge will now pay a hefty price for being the vindictive ringleader of an elaborate harassment campaign that inflicted significant emotional harm, stress, and fear on New Hampshire Public Radio employees and their family members who were simply just doing their jobs," said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. "Let today's sentence be a warning: anyone attempting to infringe on the freedom of the press - a constitutionally protected right - will not get away with it."

In March 2022 an NHPR journalist (Victim 1) published an exposé 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 - one of Subject 1's closest friends - orchestrated a months-long scheme to harass, stalk and intimidate Victims 1 and 2 and their immediate family members with the help of Cockerline, Waselchuck and Saniatan. Specifically:

• On or about the evening of April 24, 2022, at Labarge's direction, Cockerline spraypainted the word "C*NT" in large red letters on the front door and threw a brick through an exterior window of Victim 1's former residence in New Hampshire;
• On the evening of April 24, 2022, at Labarge's direction, Saniatan 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 in New Hampshire; and 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 in New Hampshire;
• On or about May 18, 2022, Labarge directed Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1's parents' home in New Hampshire, and Victim 1's home in Massachusetts, using bricks and red spray paint. Cockerline, in turn, recruited Waselchuck to vandalize Victim 1's residence; and
• On the evening of May 20, 2022, at Labarge's direction, Cockerline spraypainted the word "C*UNT" in large red letters on one of the garage doors of Victim 1's parents' home, and he 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 in Massachusetts and painted the phrase "JUST THE BEGINNING" in large red letters on the front of the house.

Earlier this year, Cockerline and Waselchuck received prison sentences of 27 months and 21 months, respectively. Each sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. Saniatan has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 6, 2024.

U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen 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.

Updated November 25, 2024