NORTH HAVERHILL – A 72-year-old man was indicted on felony and misdemeanor charges alleging he sexually abused a 10-year-old girl in Lebanon.
Gene Pease, a resident of Etna, was arrested in late June following an investigation by the Lebanon Police Department, with assistance from the Orford Police Department and the Grafton County Sheriff’s Office.
In September, Pease was indicted by a Grafton Superior Court Grand Jury on two charges of aggravated felonious sexual assault – pattern sexual assault and one misdemeanor charge of simple assault.
Each felony count carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Lebanon Police began their investigation after receiving a tip on June 29 of an alleged sexual assault in Lebanon involving Pease just a few days prior.
The alleged victim, a 10-year-old girl, was known to Pease.
The affidavit supporting the charges states that during an interview with police, Pease said, “This started a few years ago and it wasn’t one incident.”
At least four prior sexual assaults took place in Orford, where Pease was previously residing, when the alleged victim was around “seven or closer to eight (years old),” he admitted to police, according to the affidavit.
Phone efforts to reach both the prosecutor, Assistant Grafton County Attorney Antonia Barry, and Pease’s defense attorney, Renee Sargent with the New Hampshire Public Defender’s Office in Orford, were not immediately successful on Wednesday.
Pease initially entered no pleas in Lebanon Circuit Court on July 1 to the two pattern sexual assault felonies and not guilty to the misdemeanor simple assault.
He is currently incarcerated in Grafton County Jail and scheduled for an arraignment and bail hearing in Superior Court on Oct. 13 at 9 a.m.
