What is a Grand Jury Indictment?
According to the NH Law Library, an indictment is a criminal charge against a person by a Grand Jury. A Grand Jury considers evidence presented by the County Attorney or the Attorney General and decides whether there is sufficient evidence to formally charge a person with committing a crime. The Grand Jury does not decide if a person is guilty or innocent. Grand Jury indictments are public records that are released to the media monthly by the state.
MANCHESTER, NH – A Manchester teen is facing an attempted murder charge, while a Weare woman is charged with reckless conduct and second-degree assault after a 4-year-old relative shot himself with her gun after finding it in her purse, according to indictments made public this week.
The Hillsborough County Superior Court Northern District grand jury handed up 266 indictments this week.
Christopher Lacerte, 19, of 72 Longwood Ave., was indicted for attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault and two counts of reckless conduct. On Feb. 7, 2022, in Goffstown, Lacerte allegedly shot Kaden Hawley, 23, who suffered rib and spinal injuries. The shooting took place outside Hawley’s home on Tibbetts Hill Road.
Lacerte went to the address to talk to his former girlfriend, according to court documents. He was seated in his car when there was a confrontation with Hawley who allegedly punched him in the face, giving him a black eye. Lacerte is accused of shooting Hawley twice. He suffered rib and spinal injuries.
Hawley told police that “someone who punches someone shouldn’t get shot.”
Lacerte said he acted in self-defense.
Joan D. Lamesa, 62, of North Stark Highway in Weare, was indicted on charges of reckless conduct, domestic violence with a deadly weapon, and second-degree assault. On Nov. 18, 2021, Lamesa is accused placing “W.T.,” a four-year-old family member, in danger of serious bodily injury when she left a firearm in her purse and the child shot himself with it. The second-degree assault charge accuses her of recklessly causing injury to the child when he shot himself.
The indictments, issued by a Hillsborough County Superior Court Northern District grand jury, were released publicly on Thursday. Earlier this week, at a hearing in Adam Montgomery’s case a judge said the indictments were issued.
Others indicted on charges related to guns include:
- Adam Montgomery, 32, detained in the Valley Street jail, was indicted on eight counts related to incidents that occurred between Sept. 29, 2019, and Oct. 22, 2019, while his daughter Harmony was living with him and his wire, Kayla. He is charged with two counts of being an armed career criminal, for possessing a rifle and shotgun, while having previously been convicted of first-degree assault on Jan. 26, 2009, and criminal threatening on April 4, 2008, in Superior Court; armed robbery on Dec. 10, 2009, in Middlesex (Mass.) Superior Court; and assault & battery on March 11, 2014, in Middlesex Superior Court. The Manchester grand jury also indicted him on two counts of being a felon in possession of a rifle and shotgun; two counts of theft by unauthorized taking for allegedly stealing a rifle and shotgun from C.F.’s residence, and two counts of receiving stolen property, the rifle and shotgun belonging to C.F.
- Jeffrey Reyes, 20, of Spruce Street, Manchester, was indicted for robbery with a firearm, attempted first-degree assault and falsifying physical evidence. Johaly Maria 21 of Andrew Street, was indicted for reckless conduct, robbery, first-degree assault and possession of marijuana with the intent to sell it. Their charges are related to a Feb. 1, 2022, armed robbery of a 17-year-old who had his gun taken from him.
According to the indictments, Reyes, acting in concert with others, including two 16-year-olds, put a gun to the back of the head of “J.V.”, who was 17, while stealing his Ruger LC380 handgun. Reyes obtained a firearm from Maria and “they shot at ‘J.V.’ as he fled from them in a motor vehicle, striking “J.V.’s” clothing and vehicle with bullets,” according to the indictments. Reyes is also accused of removing a duffel bag, believed to contain firearms, from behind 122 Market St.
Maria, according to the indictments, is criminally liable as an accomplice when he provided Reyes with the gun. and one count of falsifying physical evidence.
Other indictments:
- Angel Rivera Calderon, 23, of Maple Street, 12 counts of reckless conduct and one count of falsifying physical evidence. On March 27, 2022, Calderon is accused of firing 12 shots into an occupied building at 178 Cedar St. He then allegedly tossed the gun out a car window as he fled the scene.
- Mohammad Mostafa, 21, of Sterling Avenue, robbery and reckless conduct. On Oct. 17, 2021, Mostafa is accused of pointing a gun at “R.V.” and saying, “Give me everything you got.”
- Marcos Nieves, 46, of Ash Street, three counts of reckless conduct, and one count each of cruelty to animals, being an armed career criminal and felon in possession of a dangerous weapon. On March 21, 2022, at 127 Orange St., Apt. 6, Nieves is accused of firing a handgun placing three individuals inside the apartment in danger of serious bodily injury. During the incident, described by police as a home invasion, Nieves allegedly tortured an American Staffordshire Terrier (pitbull) by shooting him multiple times and killing the dog.
- Rafael Pamphile, 35, of Maple Street, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, felonious use of a firearm, armed career criminal, and felon in possession of a dangerous weapon. On March 21, 2022, Pamphile is accused of possessing cocaine while armed with a Heritage MFG .22 revolver pistol.
- Rafael Castellanos, 52, of Dow Street, criminal threatening with a firearm. On April 10, 2022, Castellanos is accused of pointing a firearm at “M.J.”
- Abraham Castillo, 30, of Wilson Street, robbery with a weapon, felonious use of a firearm and being a felon in possession of a dangerous weapon. On March 26, 2022, at Granite and Canal streets, Castillo is accused of pointing a handgun at “M.D.,” when he took her car keys and drove away.
- Jaiden Cordero, 19, of Notre Dame Avenue, reckless conduct, deadly weapon. On Feb. 1, 2022, Cordero is accused of firing a gun, hitting a vehicle, and firing it toward multiple occupied apartment buildings.
- Tyrek Darwish, 22, of Chestnut Street, reckless conduct, deadly weapon. On Dec. 30, 2021, Darwish is accused of firing a gun inside his apartment and near “G.D.”
- Christopher Nelson Farrell, homeless, Boston, criminal threatening, witness tampering. On Dec. 21, 2021, in Manchester, Farrell is accused of pulling out a gun, pointing it at “J.N.’s” stomach – while she was three months pregnant with his child – and telling her she needed to do what he told her from now on. The woman posted on Instagram that same day that she was getting a restraining order against him. According to the indictment, Farrell then posted a string of threatening messages on her Instagram including: “Restraining Order be clutch as fuck;” “If only paper could block these bullets rat ass hoe;” “Protect u n y a kids bitch;” and “Now u not even gone make it to due date.”
- Branden French, 19, of Greenfield Road, Peterborough, reckless conduct, deadly weapon, and criminal threatening. On April 12 in Peterborough, French is accused of firing a gun into the air and pointing it in the direction of “T.R.” and saying, “I’m gonna kill you.”
- Albert Joseph Hutcherson, 25, of Bodwell Road, reckless conduct, deadly weapon. On Dec. 30, 2021, Hutcherson is accused of firing a gun in his apartment, sending the bullet across the hall and into another apartment.
- Colby Kinsman, 20, of C Street, criminal threatening with a deadly weapon. On April 27, 2022, Kinsman is accused of pointing a firearm at “S.T.” putting her in fear of imminent bodily injury.
- Gage Velasquez, 26, of Hampstead Road, Derry, two counts of felonious use of a firearm and possession of cocaine. On March 23, 2022, in Manchester, Velasquez is accused of being armed with a 9mm handgun and a German Sport Guns Kalshnikov .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle.
- Philip H. Mathewson, 55, of Norway Hill Road, Hancock, aggravated felonious sexual assault and criminal restraint. On March 3, 2022, in Hancock, Mathewson is accused of raping “D.S.” who said no and told him to “stop.” He also allegedly grabbed “D.S.” by the neck when he tried to leave the residence.
- Blanca Mercure, 44, of Oliver Street, falsifying physical evidence. On Feb. 27, 2022, she is accused of throwing a knife into a snowbank as a police car drove by her. It was an attempt by her to conceal a possible criminal act, that is she was going to use the knife to slash someone’s tires, according to the indictment.
- Lucien Poulette, 66, of Appletree Road, two counts each of felonious sexual assault and aggravated felonious sexual assaults stemming from incidents taking place between April 3, 1999, and Nov. 5, 1999, at the Youth Development Center, the juvenile detention center now known as the John H. Sununu Youth Services Center, named after Gov. Chris Sununu’s father.
Poulette was an employee at the YDC from 1994 to 2005. He is already facing 33 charges involving seven children he allegedly abused at the state-run facility.
Prosecutors say the latest indictments involve an eighth individual, identified as “A.S.” in the indictments. They allege Poulette had “A.S.” touch his genitalia and Poulette touched “A.S.’s” genitalia in his office in Spaulding Cottage at YDC. The aggravated counts accuse him of having “A.S.” perform fellatio on him.
Poulette is one of 11 former YDC employees facing charges involving 20 people who were in the state’s care when allegedly abused.
Also indicted were:
- Stalin Aucacama, 22, of Westford Street, Lowell, Mass., for riot. In Peterborough on Nov. 19, 2021, Aucaama is accused of acting with two or more persons for the purpose of engaging in tumultuous or violent behavior when he and the others attacked “J.C.,” 38, who suffered physical injury.
- Sean Brown, 49, detained in the Valley Street jail, and Marcus Cherry, of Cumberland Street, were indicted on two counts each of witness tampering and one count of conspiring to commit witness tampering.
Cherry is also detained in the Valley Street jail on drug charges, one accusing him of being a drug kingpin which, if convicted, could result in him receiving a life sentence.
According to the indictments, on Nov. 4, 2021, the two attempted to get Zoe Murphy, Cherry’s girlfriend, to testify falsely.
- Frank Gregory Buxton, 58, of Nottaway Drive, Hertford, NC, three counts off aggravated felonious assault, two accusing him of a pattern of abuse involving a child under the age of 13. The incidents allegedly happened in Weare between June 26, 2012, and June 1, 2016. If convicted, Buxton could be sentenced to 25 years to life.
- Christopher Comeau, 32, of Knowlton Street, felon in possession of a self-defense weapon. On July 12, 2021, while away from his premises, Comeau is accused of being in possession of a taser after being convicted of a felony in Rockingham County on June 24, 2015.
- Sue Yuan Daudier, 86, of Ridgefield Drive, interference with a fire alarm apparatus. On Dec. 14, 2021, Daudier is accused of silencing the Cadillac Motel’s fire alarm system when there was an actual fire in a hallway of the building.
- Ian Davenport, 19, of Barnard Hill Road, Dunbarton, two counts of felonious sexual assault accusing him of engaging in sex acts with a 15-year-old.
- Amuri Diole, 29, of Manchester St., three counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault, two counts of criminal threatening and one charge each of first- and second-degree assault. He is accused of attacking and raping a woman on April 29, 2021, at the Valley Cemetery. During the alleged assault, Diole held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her and also smashed her head against a stone post causing her to lose consciousness, according to the indictments.
- Sarah Fitton, 47, of Auburn Street, second-degree assault and felon in possession of a dangerous weapon. On April 22, 2022, she is accused of using a sharp object to cut “A.R.”
- Mohamed Kafie, 49, of Chestnut Street, criminal threatening, deadly weapon. On Nov. 15, 2021, Kafie is accused of threatening “M.S.” with a knife.
- Travis Klocek, 21, of Douglas Street, criminal threatening, deadly weapon. On March 4, 2022, Klocek is accused of threatening “T.P.” with a knife saying, “I’ll fucking kill you.”
- Blanca Mercure, 44, of Oliver St., falsifying physical evidence. On Feb. 27, 2022, she is accused of throwing a knife into a snowbank as a police car drove by her. It was an attempt by her to conceal a possible criminal act, that is, she was going to use the knife to slash someone’s tires, according to the indictment.
- Rose Rosales, 45, of Spruce Street, second-degree assault and being a felon in possession of a dangerous weapon, a razor blade. On April 9, 2022, Rosales is accused of cutting her son on the thumb with a razor.
- Kathryn Rotini, 27, of West Hancock Street, robbery. On March 23, 2022, Rotini is accused of holding a knife on “K.P.” and demanding a cigarette.
- Ryan Smith, 30, homeless, criminal mischief. On April 1, 2022, in Manchester, Smith is accused of causing more than $1,500 in damage to the property of “V.S.” when he broke a television, damaged multiple doors and frames and structural materials.
- Justin Spencer, 35, of Elm Street, felon in possession of a self-defense weapon. On March 23, 2022 Spencer is accused of possessing a Viper Tak electronic defense weapon (stun gun) in the area of South Maple Street, away from his home.
