By Rod Hansen
Staff Writer

Weare police say a man suspected of molesting a local teenager may have other victims across the state.

Bruce Degrenier, 40, of 126-B Pine St., Nashua, is charged with four counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault, a Class A felony, and one count of witness tampering, a Class B felony, said Weare Police Lt. Mark Bodanza.

Degrenier, who is employed as a sheet-metal worker, appeared in Goffstown District Court Aug. 1, for a probable cause hearing.

Although Degrenier waived probable cause, attorneys disagreed on his bail. Bodanza argued the bail should remain at $500,000 cash or surety, as it had been since Degrenier’s arraignment on July 17. Public defender Caroline Brown requested $5,000 cash or surety.

Goffstown District Court Judge Paul Lawrence set Degrenier’s bail at $205,000 cash or surety, Bodanza said. Degrenier is currently being held at Valley Street Jail in Manchester.

Police suspect Degrenier of molesting a local 14-year-old boy over a two-year period, concluding with his arrest on July 16. The arrest occurred after a family member reported to police inappropriate relations between the juvenile and Degrenier, Bodanza said.

Although Bodanza would not disclose the circumstances leading to the arrest, published reports say the victim’s father entered a room to find Degrenier and the teenager engaged in a sex act.

Degrenier’s trail of victims may extend beyond one local teenager, Bodanza said. Under questioning, Degrenier confessed to molesting other victims throughout the state over a period of decades.

Bodanza would not put a number on the total of alleged victims, but said the tally would be “less than 10.”

Degrenier did not hold a position of authority within any youth-oriented organization, Bodanza said. However, he said Degrenier did find ways to ingratiate himself to his alleged victims.

“They all had some sort of relationship with him,” Bodanza said. “Most of these people were groomed or given presents. He probably gained their trust that way,” Bodanza said.

The case is currently bound over to Hillsborough County Superior Court for indictment. Bodanza said he suspects it will be presented next month.

Police are still investigating the possibility of more victims in the case, Bodanza said. Anyone with further information is encouraged to call Detective Lou Chatel at 529-7755.