Sex offender faces jury for raping child

NASHUA – The trial of a previously convicted sex offender accused of raping a preschool-aged girl is scheduled to begin Tuesday in Hillsborough County Superior Court.

A jury has already been seated for the case, First Assistant County Attorney Roger Chadwick said Thursday, and opening statements are scheduled Tuesday, after a pretrial hearing today.

Richard Madore, 43, formerly of 59 Whitney St., has been jailed since his arrest in 2006. He faces six counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault, alleging that he raped and molested the girl in 2003 and 2004, when she was 3 or 4 years old.

Judge William Groff ruled the girl was competent to testify about the assaults after a closed hearing last year.

Madore also is scheduled to stand trial Sept. 21 in another pending case, on a single count of aggravated felonious sexual assault, and a criminal threatening charge. Madore is charged with repeatedly molesting a boy from 2001-05, starting when the boy was 8 years old. Madore also is accused of threatening the boy at knifepoint to keep him quiet about the alleged abuse.

Madore knew both the boy and girl, police reported after his arrest, and police said they had no information about any other victims.

Groff has yet to rule on what penalty Madore might face if convicted, Chadwick said.

Madore has been jailed since his arrest in 2006, unable to post $150,000 cash bail.

Prosecutors argue Madore should face up to life in prison, and a mandatory minimum of at least 20 to 40 years, if convicted of any of the pending sexual assault charges, because of his 1986 and 1989 convictions on indecent assault charges in Massachusetts.

Madore’s lawyers argue those convictions don’t qualify him under New Hampshire’s extended sentencing law, and contend that the assault charges carry a maximum of 10 to 30 years each.

Madore admitted to sexually assaulting the girl after several hours of questioning by Detective Michael Moushegian, police reported, and Groff has ruled that his video recorded statement can be used as evidence against him.