After Being Trespassed, Homeless Woman Threatens To Burn Concord's Friendly Kitchen: Doc

CONCORD, NH — A homeless woman, with dozens of arrests during the past two decades, faces more charges this month after several issues around the Friendly Kitchen on South Commercial Street.

Valerie E. Fredette, 39, a homeless woman now located in Concord, was arrested at 7:54 a.m. on Aug. 5 on felony possession-sale of a narcotic drug, resisting arrest or detention, and criminal trespass charges. She was arrested again on Sunday on felony burglary, resisting arrest or detention, breach of bail, and simple assault charges.

In the Aug. 5 case, officers were sent to the Friendly Kitchen on South Commercial Street for a report of a woman, who had been trespassed the previous day, being at the property and threatening to burn the building down, an affidavit stated.

As the officers arrived, they found several people yelling in the field just south of the kitchen.

One person, Fredette, who was trespassed previously, was accused of walking away from the officers even after being told to stop. The reporting officer jogged up to her, recognized her as Fredette “through prior contacts,” and placed her under arrest in the area near Storrs Street by the Holiday Inn, according to an affidavit.

The officer removed her from handcuffs for “a brief moment” to remove a purse that was slung over her shoulder, the report stated. The officer checked the purse and found a green tin case with a small plastic baggie inside with a white, clear, crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine and a razor blade, the report said. The officer also accused Fredette of possessing a small glass jar inside the purse with meth.

Both a Friendly Kitchen contact and dispatch confirmed Fredette was trespassed from the soup kitchen on Aug. 4.

The reporting officer accused Fredette of refusing to partake in the booking process and was taken straight to the county jail. According to Merrimack County Superior Court documents, she was released on bail later.

On Sunday, Fredette was arrested again on burglary and other charges in Concord. After appearing in court on Monday, she was held on preventative detention.

Fredette is back in Merrimack County Superior Court for a dispositional conference on Sept. 27, for all three recent incidents.

Fredette was also arrested on illegal kindling of a fire and trespass charges in March accused of setting a fire underneath the Interstate 393 bridge, not far from the soup kitchen.

Fredette was also arrested on a felony theft charge after an incident at Walmart on Loudon Road.

On June 3, police were sent to the store for a report of a theft in progress involving a woman. Before the officer arrived, the suspect had left. A second officer, however, found a woman matching the description and identified her as Fredette, based on “prior police contacts.” She was detained while the first officer took a statement from the loss prevention employee.

The employee accused Fredette of walking around the store, concealing items in a backpack and duffle bag. She then went to the bathroom with all the merchandise, a report said. Fredette then left the bathroom and exited the store, an affidavit said.

Two employees approached her outside and claimed she said she worked for Victoria’s Secret’s loss prevention department, a report said. Fredette was asked to return to the store and did, and while doing so, told another Walmart employee she worked for corporate, an affidavit said, to see if she would be stopped while shoplifting.

Fredette was accused of refusing to give her name and then fled the store again.

The officer eyed the video and reported 52 items stolen at a total value of around $487.

Walmart submitted video of the incident to police on June 8.

The officer noted Fredette had been convicted on theft charges in July 2017 and November 2021, so the new charge was elevated to a felony.

According to superior court records, Fredette’s criminal history dates back more than two decades after being accused of drug possession in Concord in April 2002 and pleading guilty to the charges. More drug convictions followed in Concord in November 2009. In July 2017, she pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property and theft felonies after incidents in Concord and pleaded guilty to a drug possession charge out of Wakefield in March 2018.

In January 2021, Fredette was accused of receiving stolen property, driving after revocation or suspension, and disobeying an officer in Concord, and pleaded guilty to the latter charge. In March 2021, she was accused of felony but pleaded down to a misdemeanor charge.

A warrant was then issued for her arrest on June 11.

Other charges against Fredette, according to reports on Patch, include false report to law enforcement, resisting, assault, spitting on a cop, loitering or prowling, motor vehicle theft, mischief, breach of bail, and warrants.

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