June 5, 2026

YDC Updates—Upcoming trials, Settlement Fund resolution proceedings, and legislative response to new abuse allegations

To our clients—

We have several important updates to share on the timeline of the YDC Settlement Fund resolution proceedings, upcoming trials, and legislative activity in response to ongoing abuse at the Sununu Youth Services Center.

Kristy Gesse trial set for June 15

Kristy Gesse’s case is set to go to trial in Merrimack County Superior Court on June 15. Kristy has chosen to proceed publicly, under her own name, and we are proud to stand with her as she does.

Kristy was placed at Saddleback Mountain Retreat in Deerfield, New Hampshire—a privately run facility under contract with the state to care for children in its custody. While there, she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Peter Tsetsilas, the facility’s owner, whom the state had investigated for sexually assaulting others in his custody seven years earlier.

Tsetsilas used threats and manipulation to keep her silent and ultimately held her against her will at a motel in Concord. Her case is about holding the state accountable for failing to protect her.

Every survivor’s case that goes to trial puts real pressure on the state, which must confront what happened to children in its care, in front of a jury, on the record, in public view. Each case that goes to trial makes it harder for the state to minimize or delay accountability. Each new trial refocuses the public’s attention on the horrible conditions the state allowed to exist at its juvenile facilities. In the end, this accountability and attention benefits all of you, even if your case is not currently scheduled for trial.

You can watch the proceedings online by following the instructions below.

First log in to the NH Courts Webex site at:
https://nhcourts.webex.com/webappng/sites/nhcourts
/dashboard/home?siteurl=nhcourts&viewSwitch=c2m or open the Webex app.

Then use the following information to join the courtroom session:
Meeting link: https://nhcourts.webex.com/nhcourts
/j.php?MTID=mff1342a2ca4728adb21058988c798944
Meeting number: 2348 428 5965
Meeting password: Courtroom#1

Join by phone: 1-408-418-9388
Access code: 23484285965[TH1.1]

Please make sure that your audio and video are off before entering the courtroom.

Additional trials are scheduled for later this year and into 2027.

Settlement Fund resolution proceedings expected to begin in August

After approximately one month in his role, Administrator Gerard Boyle has provided an important update: Resolution proceedings are expected to begin in August. He has also indicated he will request $55 million in additional funding from the legislature, with a hearing on that request expected June 19. While that amount would be a significant investment in the Settlement Fund, it is not enough, and we will continue to push for the funding needed.

The problems with the fund—the governor’s authority to remove the administrator, the attorney general’s veto power over awards—have not gone away, and our Supreme Court appeal challenging those changes remains pending.

Administrator Boyle has a strong reputation, and we are cautiously hopeful that he will conduct these proceedings with integrity. We are continuing to fight on every front to make sure this process is fair, and we will keep you informed every step of the way.

Legislative response to abuse at the Sununu Youth Services Center

Many of you have followed the recent reports of ongoing abuse at the Sununu Youth Services Center—children held in lockdown, subjected to strip searches, and physically harmed by staff. A legislative committee investigated and called for new oversight and a change in leadership. In response, DHHS announced some reforms, and facility director Joshua Nye resigned just 24 hours after the committee called for a change in leadership.

However, Nye leaving his position is not a solution. We have seen this exact pattern before. In 2000 and 2001, the legislature faced nearly identical circumstances. The commissioner resigned. Officials called what happened the work of “a very small group of problem employees.” The legislature reorganized the agency, and the matter was treated as resolved. It was not. There are over 500 abuse cases pending in the courts based on abuse that occurred after those so-called reforms. Nearly all of the staff later charged with raping children were still working at the facility when officials were assuring the public the kids were safe.

Justice for YDC Victims, an organization created to advocate on behalf of you and other survivors, sent a letter to the Oversight Commission making clear that personnel changes are not a substitute for real accountability. We will continue to push for the real, structural accountability that survivors have always deserved.

Thank you

We are watching every front—the Settlement Fund, survivor trials, and the Sununu Center abuse allegations—and we remain committed to fighting for full accountability and fair compensation for each of you.

The best way to reach us is through the CaseStatus app. You can also call our YDC hotline at 603-628-4060 and ask to speak with a victim specialist. If you are incarcerated, please make sure 603-628-4060 is on your approved legal contact list.

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Thank you,