By DAMIEN FISHER, InDepthNH.org
A former Grafton County Corrections Officer, Max Fournier, is facing four felony counts alleging he sexually assaulted at least one female prisoner.
Fournier stopped working for the Grafton County Department of Corrections in May of 2020 while he was being investigated by the Grafton County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff Jeff Stiegler declined to discuss the case in detail when contacted this week, but confirmed the charges were brought forward.
“I find these accusations very disturbing. At the same time this person is presumed innocent until these legal proceedings deduce if he remains innocent or if he is not,” Stiegler said.
Fournier, contacted via social media, seemed unaware of the indictments and did not offer a comment on the charges. When contacted by InDepthNH.org shortly after he stopped working as a corrections officer in 2020, Fournier declined to comment.
“I have enough people trying to stab me in the back, I do not need one more,” Fournier previously said.
The case was investigated by Stiegler’s department, and then sent to the Belknap County Attorney’s Office for legal review in order to avoid any potential conflict of interest. The case was then brought to a Grafton County grand jury, which handed up the indictments. Stiegler said the investigation into the allegations was done right.
“I’m satisfied that the investigation concluded and feel it was done thoroughly,” Stiegler said.
A representative for the Belknap County Attorney’s Office confirmed on Wednesday that the grand jury handed up two separate dockets, one charging Fournier with three counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault, and the other charging him with one count of felonious sexual assault. Stiegler confirmed that Fournier is alleged to have assaulted at least one female prisoner, but he declined to say how many alleged victims are part of the allegations.
The file in the case is currently sealed but expected to become public later this week.
The sister of one woman allegedly assaulted by Fournier said Wednesday she’s glad to see the indictments come out, but she says there is more than one victim.
“I’m glad he was indicted, but I’m saddened to know there were other girls involved. I’m glad he can’t hurt anyone else,” the woman said.
The woman spoke on the condition of anonymity as her sister is currently incarcerated and they fear retaliation. The woman said Fournier made threats against a minor-aged family member in order to keep her sister from speaking out.
“This is why women don’t come forward,” she said.
Fournier was a corporal in the department and was responsible for training other corrections officers as well as making sure prisoners had basic needs met. Tom Elliott, the superintendent at the jail, did not respond to a request for comment.
When Fournier was contacted by InDepthNH.org two years ago, he said he was unable to talk since he did not have a cell phone. At the time there was a sealed search warrant affidavit for his cell phone filed in Grafton Superior Court.
“Sealed search warrant? What is that. I currently am having trust issues with all that has happened so I’d like to know your intent or what is your reasoning for wanting to write about it,” Fournier wrote in 2020 in response to questions. “You must be talking about the search warrant for my cell phone. I don’t have a phone to call you currently after it was taken but I don’t have a problem talking with you depending on what you want to do.”
Fournier then seemed to change his mind and declined to answer questions. He was then asked if he was fired from the department, or if he resigned.
“None of your business,” Fournier replied.
Grafton County officials confirmed that Fournier stopped being a county employee as of May 8, 2020, but were not able to answer why he left the department.