Bedford Man Indicted On Statutory Rape Charges In Merrimack County: Superior Court Roundup

CONCORD, NH — A grand jury in Merrimack County recently indicted the individuals listed below.

James Bautista, 21, of Meetinghouse Road in Bedford, on three felonious sexual assault charges. He was accused of statutory rape with a girl between 13 and 16 with an age difference of more than four years after incidents on Nov. 11, Dec. 1, and Dec. 9, 2025, in Bow. Bautista was indicted recently in Rockingham County Superior Court on two other felonious sexual assault charges after incidents in Londonderry. Read more about this case here: Bedford Man Arrested On Statutory Rape, Assault Charges After Incidents In Bow, Londonderry In 2025

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Skylar Bennett, 43, of Sargent Street in Northfield, on attempted burglary while armed with a firearm, attempted burglary, reckless conduct with a deadly weapon-domestic violence, felonious use of a firearm, and two criminal threatening with a deadly weapon-domestic violence charges, all felonies. He was accused of attempting to burglarize the Northfield police headquarters and threatening an intimate partner with a firearm on Dec. 30, 2025. Read more about this case here: Political Activist Accused Of Trying To Burglarize Northfield Police Station, Commit Suicide By Cop: Report

Shawna J. Bruno, 47, of West River Road in Hooksett, on a felony controlled drug act; acts prohibited-methamphetamine charge on Oct. 10, 2025, in Hooksett.

Benjamin Bryant, 41, of Main Street in Claremont, on a possession of fentanyl charge on Dec. 30, 2025, in Bradford.

Michael D. Buckley, 46, of Fredericktowne Drive in Stephens City, Virginia, on falsifying physical evidence, two theft by deception, and two unemployment compensation fraud charges, all felonies. He was accused of making false statements, including a 1099 form he knew to be false, to collect benefits he was and-or another person were not entitled to in Concord between July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2021.

Robert Burgess, 40, of Franklin, incarcerated in the Belknap County Jail at the time of the indictment, on a felony controlled drug act; acts prohibited-fentanyl charge.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Merrimack County Superior Court and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains how to request the removal of a name from New Hampshire Patch police reports.

Ashton E. Garland, 35, a homeless man now located in Concord, on a felony robbery charge. He was accused of using force during a theft incident at Target on D’Amante Drive, involving a tablet, on April 26, 2025. Read more about this case here: Homeless Man Racks Up Concord Robbery Charges After Incidents At Market Basket, Target

Kenneth P. Gibson, 55, of West Bow Street in Franklin, on two felony counts of penalty; registration of criminal offenders. He was accused of failing to file his sex offender registration with Franklin police on Nov. 3, 2025, and a change of address with Franklin police on Nov. 13, 2025. According to the state of New Hampshire, Gibson is a sex offender due to a felonious sexual assault-victim under 16 charge in March 2001 in Madison City Circuit Court in Illinois.

Peter Gilbert, 36, of Main Street in Hooksett, on second-degree assault and second-degree assault-domestic violence charges, both felonies. He was accused of strangling a member of his household on Feb. 6 in Hooksett.

Edgar Gordon, 60, of Tremont Street in Boscawen, on burglary and theft by unauthorized taking-$1,501-plus charges, both felonies. He was accused of burglarizing the Concord Monitor on 1 Monitor Drive in Concord and stealing various electronic equipment on May 30, 2025.

Mark Hazeltine, 48, of Chester Turnpike in Hooksett, on a felony operating while deemed a habitual offender charge. He was accused of driving on Whitehall Road in Hooksett on Sept. 12, 2025, after the NH DMV deemed him a habitual offender.

Jocelyn L. Howard, 25, of Perimeter Road in Concord, on a felony possession of a narcotic drug-buprenorphine charge on Dec. 20, 2024, in Concord. Previously, according to the indictment, she was convicted of acts prohibited in Strafford County Superior Court in May 2021.

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