Drug Recovery Center Founder Arrested At NH Airport, Accused Of Stalking Journalists

CONCORD, NH — The FBI has arrested the former CEO of a drug and alcohol rehabilitation company after a federal grand jury indicted him for stalking.

Eric Spofford, 40, of Salem, and Miami, Florida, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and using a facility of interstate commerce; one count of stalking using a facility of interstate commerce; and two counts of stalking through interstate travel. Spofford was arrested at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Londonderry after his private jet landed on Friday around 3 p.m.

Spofford will be arraigned in federal court in Boston, Massachusetts, on Monday afternoon.

Patch received a tip about the arrest on Friday afternoon and confirmed his jet, a Canadair Challenger, registered to Spofford Air with an address of a home he formerly owned in Windham, traveled from the Opa-Locka Executive Airport in Miami to New Hampshire on Friday. Patch could not confirm the arrest then, but Friday night, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston released a statement.

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Spofford, the founder of Granite Recovery Centers, started the company in 2008 and was heralded by many, including then-Gov. Chris Sununu, and then-Vice President Mike Pence, for his efforts in helping the addicted, including veterans. In March 2022, New Hampshire Public Radio published an investigative piece concerning allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct toward women while he was CEO of the company. Spofford denied the claims and sued the network, a case that was dropped later. He also sold the company.

In the months following publication, NHPR employees and their families were targeted with graffiti and vandalism in several communities, including Concord, Hampstead, and Hanover, New Hampshire, and Melrose, Massachusetts.

Editor's note: This post was derived from information supplied by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the process for requesting the removal of a name from New Hampshire Patch police reports.

“It is alleged that the scheme involved vandalizing the victims’ homes at night with large rocks and bricks, and by spray painting the homes with lewd and threatening language,” a statement said. “Spofford allegedly hired his close friend, Eric Labarge, to carry out the scheme. Among other things, Spofford allegedly provided Labarge with the victims’ addresses, gave Labarge specific instructions on how to harass and stalk the victims and paid Labarge $20,000 in cash. Labarge, in turn, obtained assistance from Tucker Cockerline, Keenan Saniatan, and Michael Waselchuck to carry out the stalking campaign.”

According to court documents, after the publication of a radio report and story online about Spofford, several homes of two of the network’s employees and their families were targeted with spray paint vandalism, including the words “C---” and “JUST THE BEGINNING.” Properties were also damaged with rocks and bricks thrown at the homes, smashing windows. The five vandalism incidents occurred in late April and late May 2022, according to court filings two years ago.

Investigators in both states, including the FBI, worked for more than a year to track down suspects. Police used digital footprints, including map searches and location data on the cellphones of the suspects to build a case against them.

Labarge, Cockerline, Saniatan and Waselchuck were charged and pleaded guilty to various counts. They all were sentenced to between 21 and 46 months for the crimes.

Spofford faces up to five years in prison for each count and up to $250,000 in fines.

Jim Schachter, president and chief executive officer of New Hampshire Public Radio, condemned the attacks on journalists and commended the work of investigators.

“Attacks on journalists have no place in American life,” he said. “Everyone at New Hampshire Public Radio is grateful to the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their persistence in pursuing Eric Spofford and his associates. His attempt to silence NHPR’s reporting on abuses of power in the addiction recovery industry failed, as should every attempt to snuff out press freedom.”

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