Crime & Safety

Nashua Police Accuse Former Teacher Of Attempted Child Rape

Robert Gagne of Manchester was arrested on felony charges, accused of driving to Nashua to have sex with someone he thought was a child.

Robert Gagne of Manchester was arrested on Jan. 3 on felony computer sex crime and attempted rape charges.
Robert Gagne of Manchester was arrested on Jan. 3 on felony computer sex crime and attempted rape charges. (Nashua Police Department)

NASHUA, NH — Nashua police and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force have made another arrest of a man investigators accused of trying to have sex with a child. Since last year, investigators in the Gate City have been communicating with people who believe they are communicating with children as part of an effort to combat child exploitation in the state of New Hampshire. According to Lt. Matthew DiFava, in August 2019, police began an investigation of Robert Gagne, 46, of Tarbell Street in Manchester.

"Gagne," he said, "was communicating with a person he believed to be a child."

On Friday, Gagne "was arrested after traveling to Nashua" as part of the investigation, DiFava said. He was charged with certain uses of computer services prohibited and attempted felonious sexual assault, both Class B felonies, punishable by up to seven years in prison for each charge as well as fines.

Find out what's happening in Nashuafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Gagne was held on preventative detention and was scheduled to be arraigned in the Hillsborough County Superior Court South Monday on the charges.

Anyone with information about this case or who may have information about child exploitation cases can call the Nashua Police Department Crime Line at 603-589-1665.

Find out what's happening in Nashuafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Gagne, according to a post on Patch, was arrested in 2018 for firing a gun in a school parking lot. At the time, he was a preschool teacher at the Bakersville Elementary School.

Editor's note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Nashua Police Department and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the removal request process for New Hampshire Patch police reports.

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