Legal Briefs: News from Around NH

Voting, Democracy, and The Court event to be held Feb. 22

The growing debate on the integrity of our elections, the degree to which the Legislature should have control in determining voter eligibility, and whether the New Hampshire Constitution includes the right to challenge partisan gerrymandering raise questions vital to the health of our democracy that have been considered by the New Hampshire Supreme Court in recent years.

On February 22, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., these topics will be the focus of “Voting, Democracy, and The Court,” a panel discussion presented by the New Hampshire Supreme Court Society and the Warren B. Rudman Center for Justice, Leadership & Public Service.

Lawyers, judges, civics educators, students of all ages, and the general public are encouraged to attend.

Event location: The UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law, the Intellectual Property Center, Room 282. (Use the entrance on the corner of Rumford and Washington Streets.)

Panelists include:

• Rick Lehmann, Lehmann Major List, PLLC
• Bill Christie, Shaheen & Gordon
• Henry Klementowicz, ACLU-NH Senior Staff Attorney

The event will be moderated by Julian Jefferson, Clinical Assistant Professor at the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law.

This is a 90-minute CLE program.

Registration is required. For payment options and to register for this event, go to https://www.nhsupremecourtsociety.org/cle-reg/ or contact Gilles Bissonnette, Esq., at  gilles@aclu-nh.org, 603-227-6678.  Registration deadline is 5 p.m. on Feb. 21.

4 Bernstein Shur attorneys elected to shareholder

Rachel Becker McEntee	Molly Barker Gilligan	Hilary Holmes Rheume	James Monteleone

Bernstein Shur recently announced four new shareholders across the firm’s diverse practice groups, effective January 1, 2024: attorney Rachael Becker McEntee, Energy & Environmental Law Practice Group; attorney Molly Barker Gilligan, Health Care and Labor & Employment Practice Groups; attorney Hilary Holmes Rheaume, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Auto & Equipment Dealers Practice Groups; and attorney James Monteleone, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Real Estate Practice Groups.

“Our shareholders demonstrate the highest degree of excellence in client service and commitment to the future of Bernstein Shur,” said CEO Joan Fortin. “Rachael, Molly, Hilary and James are among the most talented attorneys in their respective practices, and we are pleased to recognize their contributions to the law, our clients, and our firm as our newest shareholders.”

NH man pleads guilty to harassing, intimidating journalists

Another New Hampshire man has pled guilty for his role in a conspiracy to harass and intimidate a New Hampshire Public Radio journalist and her parents.

Michael Waselchuck, 36, of Seabrook, entered a guilty plea to conspiring to commit stalking through interstate travel in U.S. District Court, Boston division, on Thursday.

Waselchuck and three co-conspirators, were arrested and charged for harassing two journalists after an article was published in March 2022 detailing sexual allegations and other misconduct against the former owner of a drug abuse recovery center.

The four men were indicted for the crime in September 2023.

Waselchuck is the second of the four men to enter a guilty plea. Tucker Cockerline, of Salem, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty for his role in December 2023.

NHPR journalist Lauren Chooljian wrote and published the article after a year-long investigation with contributions from another journalist, according to court documents.

According to charging documents, the four men allegedly agreed to harass and intimidate the journalists and their family.

The men are said to have gone to the journalists’ homes and Chooljian’s parent’s house in Hampstead to vandalize the properties on five different occasions.

The Seabrook man was allegedly recruited by Cockerline to vandalize Chooljian’s home. On May 20, 2022, Cockerline is said to have spray painted obscenities on her parent’s garage door.

Later that day, Waselchuck threw a brick through Chooljian’s window and spray painted in red a promise for future action on her house, according to court documents.

Waselchuck is scheduled to be sentenced on May 10. — Angelina Berube/The Eagle Tribune

Freeman ordered to pay more than $3.5M in cryptocurrency case

A federal judge has ordered Ian Freeman of Keene to pay more than $3.5 million in restitution to 29 victims in a bitcoin money laundering case, the U.S. Attorney’s office said Tuesday.

Freeman is serving an 8-year prison sentence following conviction last year for conspiracy to commit money laundering and other felonies stemming from operating an unlicensed cryptocurrency business.

Concord-based U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante filed the restitution order Friday.

U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said the restitution will help people who lost money in “romance scams” associated with the case. At trial, people testified that they lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to scammers who pretended to be in love with them and in need of money. Prosecutors said he provided a way for scammers to hide the proceeds from their illegal activities.

“Ian Freeman’s money laundering business caused many vulnerable people unnecessary anguish,” Young said in a news release.

“Nothing will ever take away the pain he caused these victims, but I am grateful that the dedicated prosecution team on this case was able to make many of them financially whole.”

Mark Sisti, Freeman’s defense attorney, said in a phone interview that the $3.5 million settlement was negotiated.

“I can tell you we’re more than happy with that figure,” he said.

Sisiti said Freeman’s conviction and sentence are being appealed. — Rick Green/Keene Sentinel