Bryon Hefner Accused Of Hundreds Of Harassing Phone Calls

BEACON HILL, MA — Bryon Hefner, 31, was arraigned today and entered a guilty plea in Concord District Court for making hundreds of harassing phone calls to a treatment facility during the month he was a patient there, in some cases pretending to be calling from an adult video store, according to the District Attorney and court records.

Hefner is already facing charges of sexually assaulting multiple men at the State House while his husband Stanley C. Rosenberg was State Senate President. Rosenberg has since resigned amid the scandal.

Hefner is charged on four counts of making annoying phone calls and two counts of criminal harassment in connection with hundreds of phone calls made from December 20, 2017 through January 8, 2018 to three phone numbers assigned to a McLean Hospital facility in Lincoln while he was a patient at the facility.

On Christmas Day in 2017 a staff member reported to Lincoln Police that the facility had been receiving apparent prank phone calls. The staff member reported that the facility had received approximately 50 phone calls between their landline and two cell phones.

Police subsequently learned that multiple staff members had been receiving similar phone calls from an automated caller from different phone numbers beginning December 20. Over the course of the investigation the victims expressed concern over the volume and content of the calls. The subsequent investigation revealed that the defendant was using internet-based websites to do this.

Hefner entered a plea of guilty on the four counts of making annoying phone calls and agreed to sufficient facts on the two counts of criminal harassment.

Judge Elizabeth Cremins sentenced the defendant to one year probation with conditions including to stay away from and have no contact with the victims in this case, to stay away from the McLean Hospital facility in Lincoln, to complete 50 hours of community service, not to utilize any prank call services and to comply with mental health treatment.

McLean Hospital lists the Lincoln Residence as a “supportive and therapeutic setting for adults 18 and over who would benefit from additional support while transitioning to independent living.”

Hefner pleaded not guilty in April to sexual assault, distributing nude images without consent, and one count of criminal lewdness. Prosecutors said he groped two men against their will, kissed another without his permission and shared nude photos of a fourth man who also said he did not agree to have is photo taken.

After the allegations surfaced, Rosenberg stepped down as Senate president. Then after the Senate committee investigated his conduct and the Ethics Committee released a report (MA Senate Picking Up Pieces After Bombshell Report), citing him for failing to lead Rosenberg resigned.

Investigators described Rosenberg as having a "significant failure of judgment and leadership" in connection with allegations that his husband attempted to influence decisions at the State House.

Rosenberg Steps Down While Husband Faces Sex Assault

Ex-Sen. President Stan Rosenberg Resigns Amid Controversy

Stan Rosenberg Should Resign, Massachusetts Governor Says

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Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff