The former head of New Hampshire’s largest addiction treatment center was arraigned in federal court after being indicted on charges of orchestrating attacks on journalists’ homes. Eric Spofford, 40, was arrested after federal authorities charged him with stalking and conspiracy, with prosecutors alleging he paid his close friend $20,000 to vandalize the homes of journalists and others.
According to prosecutors, Spofford paid Eric Labarge $20,000 to carry out the attacks in 2022, following a story by New Hampshire Public Radio journalist Lauren Chooljian detailing allegations of sexual assault and harassment by Spofford. Over several months, Chooljian’s home in Melrose, Massachusetts, her former New Hampshire home, and the homes of her parents and editor Dan Barrick were vandalized, with bricks thrown through windows and expletives spray painted on the walls. Chooljian’s home had “JUST THE BEGINNING” spray painted on it. Prosecutors allege Spofford gave Labarge the addresses and specific instructions on what to do.
Labarge was sentenced to 46 months in prison, while three other men he hired to carry out the attacks received sentences ranging from 21 to 30 months. Spofford 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 potential sentence of up to five years in prison.
Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson released Spofford on a $1 million bond, with additional conditions including remaining in New Hampshire, maintaining a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, and having no contact with victims or witnesses. Spofford previously sold his company, Granite Recovery Centers, in 2021 for $115 million. NHPR’s investigation into Spofford and the attacks was the subject of a podcast called “The 13th Step,” which became a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2024.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2025-06-02/former-nh-addiction-treatment-center-ceo-faces-conspiracy-vandalism-charges-in-court