child sex abuse

NH Marina Manager Admits Paying Minor Employees for Sex, Sexual Images

John E. Murray III's exploitation of minors who worked for him started at least in 2015, and possibly earlier, federal prosecutors say

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A former New Hampshire marina manager has admitted to paying minors who worked for him for sex acts and pornographic images over several years, federal prosecutors said.

John E. Murray III, who was a manager at West Alton Marina on Lake Winnipesaukee in Alton Bay, pleaded guilty to four counts of sex trafficking a child and 12 counts of producing child sexual abuse materials, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Hampshire. His plea agreement recommends a sentence of 25 years in prison.

Murray, 56, hired and supervised seasonal employees at the marina, many of them children. His exploitation of minors started at least in 2015, and possibly earlier, prosecutors said.

The Alton Bay resident asked underage employees of sexually explicit photos and videos, sometimes paying for them in cash, prosecutors said. The victims would send the videos over the social media app Snapchat, and they were found on Murray's phone and Snapchat account.

Murray also fondled children working at the marina, among other unwanted behavior, prosecutors said. He paid two children to let him perform sex acts on them.

After a local, state and federal investigation, Murray was arrested by state officials in August 2021, prosecutors said. He was indicted in federal court in October and faces sentencing in March.

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