A Nashua, New Hampshire, man has entered a guilty plea in connection to a case of criminal harassment against journalists from New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR). Keenan Saniatan, 36, confessed to the charges of conspiracy to commit stalking and stalking using facilities of interstate commerce yesterday. His sentencing is set for December 6, 2024, as confirmed by a federal court in Boston.
This case stems from a coordinated effort led by Saniatan and several associates, aimed to aggressively target two NHPR journalists. The offenses followed the journalists' investigation into alleged misdeeds of a local business figure, according to information obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office. The campaign of harassment included vandalism replete with threats and derogatory slurs painted at the homes of the journalists and extended to one of the victim's parents as well.
In related developments, accomplices Tucker Cockerline and Michael Waselchuck have also pleaded guilty, with Eric Labarge, another co-conspirator, currently awaiting sentencing. Labarge, a close personal associate of the individual scrutinized in the NHPR piece, is said to have orchestrated the intimidation campaign. In August of this year, Cockerline received a sentence of 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
According to court records, the calculated acts of vandalism occurred on multiple occasions throughout April and May 2022. Saniatan was specifically charged with spray-painting offensive language on the journalists' property and utilizing projectiles to cause damage. He was purported to not just vandalize the journalists' homes himself, but also played a part in directing others to do so. The maximum penalties for these charges could reach up to five years in prison, alongside considerable fines and restitution, though actual sentences will ultimately be decided based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Law enforcement agencies, including local police departments from Concord, Hampstead, and Hanover in New Hampshire, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston Field Division, collaborated to bring the case forward. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen have acknowledged the contributions of these departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division are currently managing the prosecution of the case.
