New Hampshire police chief accused of 15-year-old sexual assault incident
John Laroche has overseen the police officers of Canterbury, New Hampshire, a town of 2,000 residents just north of Concord, for the last seven years.
He is now accused of using his position of power in a different police department to sexually assault a teenager more than a decade ago.
Last September, a woman who did ride-alongs with Laroche as part of a teen program, came forward and said Laroche assaulted her on a Boscawen boat ramp. According to the woman, the assault occurred between January 1, 1999 and August 3, 2000 when she was 16 or 17 and Laroche was a Boscawen police officer.
Laroche, now 44, told police in November the act was consensual, according to an affidavit cited by the Union Leader.
Laroche was arrested and charged with aggravated felonious sexual assault on Tuesday, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office. His lawyer told the Union Leader that Laroche is innocent, but refused to comment further. Laroche did not respond to request for comment Wednesday evening.
Laroche was released after posting $5,000 bail Tuesday.
On Wednesday afternoon, the town’s selectmen decided to place Laroche on unpaid administrative leave, WMUR reported.
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