Woman witnessed cousin's brutal rape in Milton, court documents state

From left, John Turcotte and attorney Steven Keable during a hearing in Strafford County Superior Court in November. (The Lebanon Voice file photo)

DOVER - A Milton woman who in 2012 reported a sexual assault that allegedly occurred in 2000 or 2001 told investigators the man raped her behind her parents' house and that her cousin was a witness, according to newly filed court documents.

John Turcotte, 32, who formerly lived at 12 Pine St., Rochester but now resides at 393 Middle Road, Dover, and was a former Lebanon Elementary School janitor, was indicted in October on two felony sexual assaults regarding the incident, including an aggravated-level assault alleged to have taken place between January 2000 and December 2001 and one that places the alleged attack between January and December of 2001.

According to assistant Strafford County Attorney Meghan Hagaman, the two separate indictments reflect differing theories and timeframe for the alleged crime.

Turcotte worked as a janitor at Lebanon Elementary School from 2007 to April 2015.

John Turcotte (Rochester Police photo)

At the time of the alleged rape the victim in the case was between the ages of 12 and 16, court documents show.

While few details have been released, documents offered to the court last month indicate that the girl's parents first called Milton police on Nov. 10, 2012, saying their daughter "had some disturbing news."

When police arrived, the woman, who is now in her late 20s, said Turcotte raped her behind her parent's house on a trail leading to the pond and her cousin was present.

Later in November officers conducted what is known as a forensic interview - usually hours-long, in-depth and closely structured - during which time the victim recounted "in detail various sex abuse (perpetrated) by the defendant that began when she was in elementary school," according to court documents.

The next day Milton Police Officer Thomas Hebert and members from the Strafford County Attorneys Office were present for an authorized one-party recorded phone call between the victim and the defendant. During the call, the defendant admitted he remembered what happened when they were younger and apologized for it, court documents state.

In a listing of "Factual Background" statements submitted to the court by prosecutors, the next item of information regards former Milton Police Officer Melissa Curtin who almost two years later - on Aug. 7, 2014 - spoke with the woman thought to be the cousin who witnessed the assault and according to court documents, said she "witnessed the assault as (the victim) described."

Throughout the rest of the fall of 2014 Curtin interviewed several more women and a man whom the alleged victim is thought to have spoken with about the incident.

Court documents allege Turcotte "overcame (the victim) through the application of physical force, to wit, he threw (her) on the ground in the woods" and engaged in intercourse with her.

The motion for written depositions was ultimately denied by Strafford County Judge Mark E. Howard, who noted it did not show sufficient facts upon which the court could conclude that the depositions were necessary under statute and there was insufficient reason to conclude that the witnesses possessed exculpatory information.

Turcotte shows a light rap sheet with Rochester Police reports showing only that he was arrested on a drug possession charge in February 2014.

As a second shift custodian, he was never in charge of or in a supervisory role for any students, SAD 60 Supt. Steven Connolly has said, adding the school district followed state hiring requirements in hiring Turcotte and he met all requirements.

Turcotte, who is being represented by Attorney Steven Keable of Dover, faces up to 11 years in state prison if convicted.

The trial is expected to get under way next month in Strafford County Superior Court.