Merrimack County indictments

CONCORD — A Merrimack County grand jury returned felony and misdemeanor charges against a number of Lakes Region residents when it met on Nov. 16.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt but rather an indication that an independent jury has voted, after hearing from police, that there is sufficient evidence to warrant a Superior Court trial.

• Meghan Conway, 31, 115 Kelley Pond Road, New Hampton, was charged with two counts of delivery of articles to a prisoner for allegedly smuggling fentanyl into the Merrimack County jail in Boscawen on July 9, and again on July 11. Conway was also indicted on two counts of possessing the narcotic fentanyl, after being convicted of violating the controlled drug act in Belknap County Superior Court in October 2012.

• Jasmine Vertigans, 31, 52 Province St., Laconia, was indicted for possessing fentanyl in Concord on July 29.

• Ashley Laroche, 27, 8 Major Drive, Gilmanton, was indicted for possessing both methamphetamine and the prescription drug clonazepam in Concord on June 4.

• Daniel Cambell, 26, 45 Tee Dee Drive, Belmont, was indicted on two counts of driving after being declared a habitual offender. On July 11 in New London, and on Aug. 24, in Bow.

• William Wheeler, 54, 24 West Bow St., Franklin, was indicted for robbery, charging that he held a knife to a man's neck and demanded that the victim give him all his money on Sept. 21 in Canterbury.

• Joshua White, 35, 8 Lincoln St., Franklin, was indicted for possessing fentanyl in Franklin on Oct. 15, 2015.

• William Surowiec, 39, 558 Franklin St., Franklin, was indicted for welfare fraud alleging that he falsely represented that he was paying child support to a Melynda Cate when he was living with her, allowing her to obtain more than $1,000 in medical assistance and food stamp benefits to which she was not entitled between Sept. 27, 2013, and Aug.

10, 2016.

• Melynda Cate, 30, 558 Franklin St., Franklin, was indicted for welfare fraud charging that she falsely represented in her application submitted to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services that the father of one of her children, William Surowiec, was not a member of her household, and received benefits to which she was not

entitled between Sept. 26, 2013, and March 4, 2016.

• A Concord man was indicted on multiple charges in connection with a July 23 incident in Franklin. Peter Simon, 47, 9 Penwood Drive, was charged with two counts of second-degree assault alleging that he strangled a man with his arm or arms or that he wrapped a power cord around the victim's neck, causing him to experience impeded breathing, blood circulation or a change in voice. Simon was also indicted on two counts of criminal threatening. Franklin police charge that Simon placed the same victim, as well as a woman in fear of imminent bodily injury by brandishing a hammer and threatening to kill them.

The grand jury additionally returned two misdemeanor charges of aggravated DWI against Simon alleging that on the same date, July 23, he drove while having a blood alcohol concentration of twice the legal limit or more and that he turned off his headlights to try to elude police.

He was further charged with two counts of conduct after an accident for damaging a Chevy Cruz and a fence on Pine Crest Circle in Franklin, and failing to report it, and for disobeying a police officer for refusing to pull over.

– Bea Lewis