Six weeks after alleged victim came forward, probe remains open but no arrest

Doug Lachance (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - Rochester Police said on Tuesday they continue to investigate allegations of sex assault against former City Councilor and mayor Doug Lachance, who is accused of committing the offenses against a then 16-year-old boy.

Lachance, 57, tendered his resignation letter to the city on April 14; in it he denied all allegations against him.

The 2007 probe began anew after police were contacted by the main complainant about six weeks ago.
Andy Brooks, 37, of Colorado, who grew up in Rochester, alleges Lachance made inappropriate sexual advances to him when he was a teenager.
Strafford County Attorney Tom Velardi told The Rochester Voice that the reason the case was dropped in 2007 was because the main complainant - represented as Brooks in police documents - decided not to move forward with what would have likely been a long and difficult trial.

According to a March 2007 affidavit written by Rochester Police Det. Steven Bourque, Brooks had told his mother that Lachance "provided him with alcohol, kissed him on the lips and professed his love to Brooks."

After talking to Brooks, Bourque reported in his affidavit that, "Brooks stated there were times where Lachance would provide him with alcohol, and that there were sexual encounters."

Brooks has said most of his interaction with the former mayor occurred in the spring of 2001.

Velardi has declined comment on the case since it was reopened.