A New Hampshire man has been sentenced to over two years in prison for his part in a conspiracy to harass journalists from New Hampshire Public Radio. Tucker Cockerline, 33, of Salem, will serve 27 months followed by three years of supervised release for his involvement in a campaign of vandalism that targeted two journalists in retribution for their reporting on alleged misconduct by a local businessperson, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The conspiracy involved multiple acts of property damage, including spray-painting offensive language on homes and throwing bricks through windows. These acts occurred after NHPR published an exposé detailing allegations against a former New Hampshire business figure. Eric Labarge, identified as a close ally of the disgraced individual, coordinated a campaign of retribution that targeted the journalists' homes. The scheme, which involved Cockerline, Michael Waselchuck, and potentially Saniatan, extended across state borders.
Cockerline had pleaded guilty in December 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and using a facility of interstate commerce, resulting in his recent sentencing by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani. Eric Labarge and Michael Waselchuck have also pleaded guilty and await their own sentences, with their cohort Saniatan expected to plead guilty on September 5, 2024, in a case prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division.
