Two city councilors call for Doug Lachance to resign as sex assault probe ramps up

From left, City Councilors Jeremy Hutchinson, Doug Lachance and Palana Belken. (Courtesy photos)

ROCHESTER - As more details come to light from the 2007 investigation into sex assault allegations against a Rochester City Councilor and former mayor, some are calling for his resignation including the city councilor who recently proposed the formation of an ethics board that would probe such charges.

City Councilor Jeremy Hutchinson, who has publicly demanded the resignation of City Councilor and former Rochester mayor Doug Lachance, posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday a statement that includes the names of several lawmakers joining the effort.

So far only one other Rochester councilor - Palana Belken - has added her name to the list.

Accusations of sex assault aimed at Lachance resurfaced on Wednesday after 37-year-old Andy Brooks of Colorado, who grew up in Rochester, went public regarding the alleged abuse.

Strafford County Tom Velardi told The Rochester Voice on Wednesday that the reason the case was dropped in 2007 was because the main complainant, represented as Brooks in police documents from 2007, decided not to move forward with what would have likely been a long and difficult trial.

Now that Brooks has gone public, it's all back on the table, Velardi said Wednesday.

Rochester Police Capt. Todd Pinkham also said on Wednesday the investigation had been reopened for about a month "after one of the victims reached out to speak with us again about the case."

Lachance has issued several denials the abuse occurred and declined further comment on Wednesday and today.

Two deeply disturbing affidavits from 2007 paint a picture of Lachance's East Rochester home as a haven for young boys in their teens where booze and grass were nearly always at hand.

Brooks told investigators in 2007 that most of the abuse occurred in the spring of 2001.

He stated that one one particular night he drank some cider which seemed awfully strong. "He stated he had two glasses one night and blacked out. He stated he woke up to Lachance 'open mouth kissing him,'" the affidavit says.

In another alleged incident, Brooks stated "that he was intoxicated in Lachance's bed. He stated that Lachance had his arm on his shoulder. Brooks brushed his arm away and told him no. He stated that Lachance then slid his arm down his side and he again brushed his arm away. He stated that Lachance then placed his hand on his penis and when Brooks went to brush it away, he held on for a second (estimated five seconds) then he was able to push his hand away."

Lachance, in addition to being a City Councilor, is a Realtor and also the owner of Stump City Cider, an alcoholic beverage he has sold for many years.

Brooks, who was in the military by 2007, told a Fort Bragg interviewer that he had the hard cider about 15 times and that he "blacked out 10 of those times and ended up in Lachance's bed about half of those times by the morning." He also estimated that during this two- to three-year time frame when he frequented Lachance's home he probably visited him more than 200 times.

The presence of booze and weed at Lachance's East Rochester residence was corroborated by other young men who spoke with Rochester Police during the initial probe.

Brooks also told investigators that Lachance often professed his love for him, which was corroborated by another young man police spoke to.

Brooks' wife, who was also interviewed by the Ft. Bragg investigator, said her husband checked into a mental hospital for two weeks in April 2001. She told the interviewer, "Lachance was angry Brooks had gone."

She also told the investigator Lachance at one time told her he'd gone on a motorcycle ride with another male "and it gave him a hardon." She also said Lachance was the mayor of Rochester at this time.

On June 13, 2007, Rochester Police Det. Steven Bourque and another detective went to interview Lachance, who they say admitted that Brooks was among "several juveniles that would come to his residence" and "they did drink and smoke pot while there, but he never provided it to them."

During the visit Lachance denied that he touched Brooks in the ways that had been alleged and that he never kissed him.

Bourque in his affidavit then says, "I informed Lachance that Brooks seemed to be having trouble over what had gone on at the house. Lachance then stated, "Hey, I'm Bi, I'm not hiding that ... if Brooks is having trouble with his own sexuality that's not my problem ... that's his."

During the interview Lachance agreed to come down to the police station later to record his statement, but the next day Bourque indicates in his affidavit that Lachance left him a voice message stating he was thinking about coming in for a statement but he would be contacting his attorney first.

In September 2007 Strafford County Attorney Tom Velardi wrote to Rochester Police: "Based on the victim's allegations, it looks like he was 15 or 16 when the defendant accomplished sexual contact through the element of surprise or by superior physical strength. That makes the defendant's conduct a Class A misdemeanor, rather than AFSA (aggravated felonious sexual assault.)

"We have decided that the conduct should be charged. However, in recognition that the victim is in the armed services in North Caroline, this office will contact him to determine whether he wants to pursue what will be a difficult trial process for a misdemeanor case."