West Alton Marina owner indicted for sex assault, witness tampering

Eight months after the manager of the West Alton Marina was arrested and charged with sexual assault involving employees under his care, a person listed on town tax maps as the owner of the marina has been indicted with similar charges.

Brian A. Fortier, 50, was indicted by a Belknap County Grand Jury on April 21, on several felonies.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt, but an independent jury’s decision, after hearing from police, that sufficient evidence exists to warrant a court trial.

Both Fortier and John Murray, who was arrested in August of last year, were reported by law enforcement to reside at the same Timber Ridge Road address in Alton.

Fortier has been indicted on a charge of a special felony, aggravated sexual assault, for engaging in sexual activity with an alleged victim older than 13 and younger than 18, over whom Fortier held a position of authority.

Fortier has also been indicted on a second charge of felonious sexual contact, a Class B felony, with an alleged victim older than 13 and younger than 18, and that the contact caused “extreme mental anguish or trauma” for the victim.

Fortier faces two subsequent indictments for Class B felonies regarding alleged contact he had with witnesses during investigation into possible sexual assaults, in which Fortier is suspected of offering to help pay for college or offer other financial benefits if the victim were to “stick by his side” during the investigations, according to the indictments.

The messages Fortier is indicted for sending would have occurred while police, both local and federal, were investigating charges that Murray, who was employed as the general manager of West Alton Marina, had engaged in a pattern of sexually assaulting employees, as well as paying those employees to produce child pornography and send those videos to him.

During the same time that Fortier was alleged to have been pressuring witnesses to withhold information from investigators, he provided the following statement to The Laconia Daily Sun:

​​“Our family is shocked and deeply saddened by the disturbing allegations against former employee John Murray," wrote Fortier. “Our hearts are broken and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected. We have hired outside counsel and consultants to undertake a thorough review of this matter. We will use this information to adapt policies and procedures that will ensure a safe environment for employees and the public. We will continue to carry on the vision of our parents and grandparents and dedicate our lives to making West Alton Marina a fun, loving, family destination.”

Fortier was arrested by Alton Police in February.

Murray, 55, faces 11 charges, including aggravation felonious sexual assault, manufacturing child sex abuse images, and trafficking.