Alleged Coercion of Media Figures: New Hampshire Addiction Center Founder Indicted for Intimidation Tactics Against Journalists

Revised Article

Get a load of this, Eric Spofford – the ex-CEO of New Hampshire's biggest addiction treatment centers – was hauled in on Friday after federal investigators claim he orchestrated a damned scary and creepy campaign of stalking and harassment against local journalists. That's right, folks, he's accused of plotting to intimidate those who dared to report unfavorable news about him and his biz.

Spofford, a 40-year-old flurry-of-controversy from Salem, NH, and Miami, Florida, runs the for-profit drug and alcohol treatment company Granite Recovery Centers. Now, you might recognize his name from the drama that went down last year when New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) released a scathing investigative report alleging sexual misconduct, abusive leadership, and, you guessed it, retaliation against the man himself. Spofford denied those claims and even sued the outlet, but a judge shot that down in 2023.

The federal case, it turns out, stems from that very report. It is said that, between March and May 2022, Spofford cooked up a scheme to scare the bejesus out of some NHPR journalists who'd shone an unforgiving light on him (and his for-profit addiction centers). According to the feds, he hired a buddy to chuck big rocks and bricks at the homes of the reporters, their families, and a senior editor at NHPR at night, and spray-paint lewd and terrifying messages on their properties.

Whenever I think about these jokers that go after journalists, I can't help but shake my head. It's just absurd, and in a decent world, it'd never happen. But here we are, folks. And we've got three other rats who are already behind bars for their part in Spofford's nightmare campaign.

The president and CEO of NHPR, Jim Schachter, took to the press to say that "attacks on journalists have no place in American life," and that Spofford's attempts to silence their reporting had failed. Lauren Chooljian, the journalist who reported the investigation, didn't respond to a request for comment.

If convicted, Spofford faces up to five years in prison for each count, three years of supervised release, and a hefty $250,000 fine, according to the feds. His attorney wasn't available for comment. Oh, and Granite Recovery Centers claims Spofford has nothing to do with the company since he sold it three years ago.

Spofford is set to appear in court in Boston on June 2, so keep your eyes peeled for updates. In the meantime, let's keep our journalists safe and protected, shall we? They're out there, every day, shining a light on the gonna-be-stories that we can't afford to ignore.

The federal investigation against Eric Spofford, the former CEO of Granite Recovery Centers, extends beyond business matters and includes allegations of orchestrating a campaign of stalking and harassment against local journalists reporting general-news and crime-and-justice stories. The accused actions, which involved hiring individuals to vandalize the homes of reporters, are a clear violation of the freedom of the press in American life.