June 18, 2026

First Week of Kristy Gesse Trial

The Kristy Gesse trial began Monday, June 15, in Merrimack County Superior Court in Concord. We want to make sure you know what’s happening in the courtroom. The case is one of more than 1,600 lawsuits filed against the state based on widespread physical and sexual abuse of juveniles being held at the Youth Development Center and associated facilities. This is the second case heard by a jury in a trial, and the first to involve a plaintiff who was placed at a privately-run facility rather than YDC.

We know that some of what follows may be difficult to read. Please take care of yourself and do not hesitate to reach out at any time if you are struggling.

YDC was used as a weapon to keep victims silent

This is something many of you will understand firsthand. Peter Tsetsilas, the man who assaulted Kristy, was the owner of Saddleback Mountain Retreat in Deerfield, a privately run facility contracted by DCYF to house girls in the state's care. Throughout his time running Saddleback, he used the threat of YDC to control every girl who lived in his home.

In our opening statement, we explained to the jury how that threat was used against Kristy.

"He tells her that only he can keep her out of the state's institutional lockup for kids. Peter lets her know that it's within his power to send her there. He also lets her know that if she would say anything, nobody would believe her."

Lynn Oldeman Crane, a prior victim of Peter Tsetsilas, was placed at Saddleback in 1984 and testified on Tuesday to the same thing.

"It was the boogeyman. You wanted to look twice before you got into bed because you knew the monster was hiding and waiting for you. It was a place you avoid at all costs."

The State knew and sent Kristy anyway

"They knew Peter Tsetsilas previously sexually abused a girl placed with him by the state before. They knew he was a child predator. They knew and they still sent young girls into his care for years."

Testimony from a prior victim and Kristy Gesse

Hearing survivors tell their stories in open court — under oath, in front of a jury — is one of the most powerful things that can happen in the courtroom. It is something the state cannot control, minimize, or make disappear. This week, two women did that.

The jury heard first from Lynn. She described being isolated, groomed, and moved to a room in the basement where the abuse became more frequent. When Lynn reported her abuse, the system failed her a second time. DCYF officials pressured her to stop talking with police, told her she was ruining a good family, and urged her to take back her story.

"I honestly felt like everybody in the house knew what was going on, and there was nobody stopping it."

Years later, Kristy was placed in the very same facility run by the very same family. When she took the stand, she spoke about what drew her to Saddleback in the first place.

"It looked like a family. It was a husband and a wife. I wanted a family. And I wanted to feel wanted and I wanted to feel supported."

It did not take long for the appearance of a family to be shattered. Kristy testified about being raped more than 100 times, saying she had no one to turn to and no way out. We wrote down each assault on a poster board in front of the jury as Kristy described them – a stark visual reminder of how serious and unrelenting these assaults were.

Kristy felt isolated, controlled, and had nowhere to turn

What Kristy described on the stand this week may be familiar to many of you: the feeling of being completely alone, with no trusted adult and no way out.

Kristy described her relationship with her DCYF caseworker as "transactional,” someone she could not confide in. Tsetsilas controlled her access to the phone and removed the receiver from the rotary phone in the house so it could not be used outside of designated times.

"I felt scared and trapped. I felt like even if I wanted to run, I couldn't. There was nowhere to go. I was in the middle of the woods."

When Tsetsilas’ wife, Beverly Tsetsilas, discovered journal entries Kristy had written about the abuse, Peter took her to a motel in Concord, where he held her captive for 24 days — using drugs and alcohol to subdue her, withholding food, and becoming increasingly violent.

"I was afraid that he was trying to kill me."

David Meehan came to support Kristy

David Meehan, the first YDC survivor to take his case to a jury, attended this week's proceedings with his wife.

"After hearing what happened to Kristy Gesse while in the state's custody, my wife Erin and I wanted to be here to support her. She's showing a lot of courage putting herself through this, and it matters for a lot of survivors who never get this chance."

What comes next

There is no court tomorrow, June 19th, due to the holiday. The trial will resume Monday, and we expect it to continue all week. We will continue to keep you informed. 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.