Opinion ID: 2553651
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: The record supports the following facts. The charges arose out of sexual contact between the defendant and A.G., the thirteen-year-old daughter of the defendant's girlfriend, Lisa W. (Lisa). In early 2006, A.G., Lisa, and A.G.'s ten-year-old brother, M.W., lived in the Beech Hill apartment complex in Manchester. The defendant and his son, Anthony, lived in the same complex. Anthony and M.W. were friends. In May 2006, after a fire damaged the Beech Hill complex, A.G. and her family moved to an apartment on Cypress Street in Manchester. The defendant and Anthony had moved to an apartment on nearby Hayward Street, and the boys resumed their friendship. At the same time, Lisa became reacquainted with the defendant, and they began an intimate relationship. The defendant and Anthony began visiting Lisa's apartment every day. After the school year ended, A.G. left to spend several weeks with her father in North Conway. While she was there, she and the defendant communicated through AIM, an Internet-based instant messaging service. During these communications, the defendant told A.G. that he loved her, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, and that he wanted her to have his child. Around the time A.G. left for North Conway, the defendant and Anthony began spending every night and eating their meals at Lisa's apartment. The defendant slept on the couch because he and Lisa had decided to keep the nature of their relationship from the children. Anthony and M.W. shared a futon in A.G.'s room. The defendant took the boys to day camp during the week, cooked or helped with the cooking at night, and for a period of time, drove Lisa to work in the morning and picked her up in the afternoon. Lisa testified that the defendant was basically taking care of the kids, as she was often unavailable to supervise the children because of her work schedule and her drug and alcohol use. However, the defendant retained and periodically visited his Hayward Street apartment. A.G. returned from North Conway on a Friday at the end of July. That night, Lisa and the two boys went to bed at about 9:00. While the defendant and A.G. were alone, the defendant sexually penetrated A.G. twice with his finger and once with his penis. On the following Sunday, A.G. accompanied her mother, the defendant, and the two boys to a flea market. There, A.G. looked at a gold necklace that had her name on it. The defendant proposed to Lisa that they split the $100 cost and buy the necklace for A.G. Lisa agreed, and the defendant made a down payment on the necklace. The next day, Lisa went to work and the two boys went to summer camp. The defendant offered to drive A.G. to Hampton Beach, and she agreed. After spending an hour at Hampton Beach, they returned to Manchester where they spent some time at a public swimming pool. After they left the pool, the defendant was stopped by Manchester police. The reason for the stop was not disclosed to the jury because the trial court had issued a pretrial ruling precluding evidence of a complaint made to the police regarding the defendant's interaction with A.G. at the pool. The jury did, however, hear evidence regarding the defendant's interview later that day at the Manchester police station with Detective Brian Riel. Riel questioned the defendant about his relationship with A.G. The defendant denied any inappropriate contact with A.G. and told Riel that he had given her gifts because she had a rough childhood and he was trying to be a father figure to her. After that day, the defendant and his son ceased spending their nights at A.G.'s apartment. The defendant was subsequently indicted, and after the trial court found him competent to stand trial, the jury found him guilty of the fourteen charges. This appeal followed.