Alton man indicted for alleged sex trafficking of minors

Shawne Wickham, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
·1 min read

Oct. 27—An Alton man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for alleged sex trafficking of minors who worked for him at an Alton Bay marina.

John E. Murray, III, a former manager at West Alton Marina, is charged with 12 counts of production of child pornography and four counts of sex trafficking of a minor, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's office.

Officials said Murray was responsible for hiring and supervising seasonal employees, many of whom were minors. Murray allegedly solicited some of those minors to provide sexually explicit images and videos of themselves, often in exchange for money, the news release said.

Murray is also accused of subjecting some young employees to unwanted sexual contact and sexual acts.

Authorities say the offenses took place over the course of several years, dating back to at least 2015.

Murray has been in state custody since August, 2021, on related state charges, officials said.

According to published reports, four former employees have filed civil lawsuits against the marina and its owners, alleging that Murray used the business to "groom minors for sexual activity." It also alleges he used the business to engage in sexual exploitation, including prostituting employees to customers.

The federal case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's office, after an investigation by Alton police, state police, and officers from federal Homeland Security Investigations, New Hampshire Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.