The former head of New Hampshire’s largest addiction treatment center was arraigned in federal court Monday, after he was indicted on charges of orchestrating attacks on journalists’ homes.
Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson said the defendant, Eric Spofford, could be released once he posts a $1 million bond. Spofford was arrested Friday after federal authorities indicted him on stalking and conspiracy charges.
Prosecutors say Spofford paid his close friend, Eric Labarge, $20,000 to vandalize the homes of New Hampshire Public Radio journalists and others in 2022. That was after NHPR journalist Lauren Chooljian published a story detailing allegations of sexual assault and harassment by Spofford. Over the next few months Chooljian’s home in Melrose, Massachusetts, her former home in New Hampshire, and the homes of her parents and editor, Dan Barrick, were all vandalized, with bricks thrown through windows and expletives spray painted on the walls.
Chooljian’s home had “JUST THE BEGINNING,” spray painted on it.
In the indictment, prosecutors allege Spofford gave Lebarge the addresses and specific instructions on what to do. Labarge then found three others to carry out the attacks.
Labarge and the men he hired were previously convicted on charges related to the vandalism. Labarge was sentenced to 46 months in prison last November. The other three were each given sentences that range from 21 to 30 months.
Spofford, 40, said he sold his company, Granite Recovery Centers, in 2021 for $115 million. He maintains a YouTube channel where he identifies himself as an “entrepreneur, speaker, coach, recovered drug addict, and student of the game.”
He faces charges of 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.
Each count carries a sentence of up to five years in prison.
Spofford walked into court wearing handcuffs, a tight black t-shirt and black jeans. He answered the judge magistrate’s questions with a hoarse voice, telling the court he understood the conditions of his release.
In addition to the $1 million bond, which his lawyer said he would post immediately, Spofford was ordered to remain in New Hampshire, abide by a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, and have no contact with any of the victims and witnesses in the case.
Levenson reminded Spofford that it was a crime to threaten any victim or witness in the case.
Spofford’s attorney, George Vien, declined to comment.
NHPR’s investigation into Spofford, including the attacks, were the subject of a 2023 podcast called The 13th Step, which became a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2024.
After Spofford’s arrest last week, NHPR President and CEO Jim Schachter thanked the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their persistence in pursuing Spofford and others involved.
“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,” he said.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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