Ringleader Sentenced to Over Three Years for Harassing NHPR Journalists

Eric Labarge, 46, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison on November 25, 2024, for orchestrating a targeted harassment and vandalism campaign against journalists from New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) and their families. Labarge will also serve three years of supervised release, pay a $10,000 fine, and provide over $34,000 in restitution. His sentencing marks the conclusion of a chilling case that has drawn national attention to the growing threat of retaliation against investigative journalists.

The harassment began shortly after NHPR reporter Lauren Chooljian co-authored a March 2022 story exposing allegations of sexual misconduct and abusive behavior against Eric Spofford, founder of Granite Recovery Centers. In response, Labarge, a known associate of Spofford, recruited accomplices to carry out a series of nighttime attacks. Over multiple incidents in April and May 2022, the homes of Chooljian, NHPR news director Dan Barrick, and Chooljian’s parents were vandalized. Graffiti containing gendered slurs like “C*NT” and phrases such as “JUST THE BEGINNING” were spray-painted on properties, and bricks or rocks were thrown through windows.

Three co-conspirators—Tucker Cockerline, Michael Waselchuck, and Keenan Saniatan—were sentenced earlier in 2024 to prison terms ranging from 21 to 30 months. Labarge pleaded guilty in July to interstate stalking conspiracy and was identified by prosecutors as the ringleader. Authorities described the crimes as a calculated effort to silence and intimidate journalists for reporting on powerful figures.

U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy condemned the acts as “a terror campaign” aimed at suppressing the press. NHPR CEO Jim Schachter emphasized that these attacks only reinforced the importance of protecting journalists from intimidation. The FBI and state police conducted the investigation, citing the case as an example of the need for robust protections for media workers and their families.

Labarge’s sentencing comes as a federal indictment was recently issued against Eric Spofford himself, accused of financing the operation. The case serves as a stark warning against using harassment to deter investigative reporting and affirms that such intimidation will be met with serious legal consequences.