Another party busted

[KBCraig]

What is it with NH police and their obsession with teenagers and parties and alcohol?

I think we really need to focus the General Court on breaking this obsession.

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=18+teens+busted+at+giant+Epping+bash&articleId=88ceb0b6-8bc0-4347-8cfd-2963ac00f85f

18 teens busted at giant Epping bash

By RILEY YATES
Union Leader Staff

EPPING ? A back-to-school party with lingerie-clad women and a New York disc jockey was broken up by authorities early yesterday morning at a rural home and business off Prescott Road, police said.

Liquor enforcement agents told police the party was one of the largest they had ever seen, pulling in 350 to 600 people, including underage drinkers, Epping Police Chief Gregory Dodge said.

"We certainly were outnumbered and we got to the point where it could have been pretty volatile," Dodge said.

Eighteen were arrested and police intend to charge the host for facilitating an underage drinking party, Dodge said. Many revelers were able to flee into the woods to avoid authorities, he said.

This promotion for Saturday's party appeared on the Web site of DJ Statik Selektah.

State investigators found a loaded AK-47 in the trunk of the car of two party-goers arrested behind Xtra Mart convenience store later in the morning, police said.

The host, Paul Gatchell of 44 Prescott Road, yesterday said police had overblown the party, which he maintained was under control and smaller than stated. No one was stationed to check identifications, but teenagers trying to sneak in were turned away, he said.

Gatchell denied women were encouraged to wear lingerie, as police alleged. The New York DJ grew up in Exeter and drives a car with New Hampshire plates, using the Big Apple to promote himself, he said.

"It's a bunch of people getting together and enjoying each other's company," said Gatchell, 35, an Epping High School graduate who runs Gatchell Excavation. "I don't see how that could be wrong."

Gatchell said he holds a handful of outdoor events each year that are spread through word of mouth. People swim at a pond on the 43-acre property, eat barbecue and listen to music from a stage he's set up. He said he always invites his neighbors to attend.

On Saturday night, about 100 to 150 people showed up to hear three bands, said Gatchell. For the first time, he charged a cover, in order to pay the musicians.

Police arrived hours before the event, parking in front of the property and intending to make arrests, Gatchell said.

"It seems like they were looking for a situation to happen," he said. "But there was no situation."

Police said 23 local and state officers with a warrant moved to break up the party at 12:54 a.m. The crowd became unruly as police started shutting the music down, and authorities called in University of New Hampshire police and their van and riot control equipment.

As the party dispersed, police began checking identifications. Eleven people were arrested for internal possession of alcohol, four were taken into protective custody and one person was charged for resisting arrest and simple assault against one of the police officers, police said.

The DJ, who identified himself as Statik Selektah, said police kept asking people for identification, "but weren't catching anybody."

"It looked to me that everyone was of age," said Selektah, who wouldn't give his real name. "They just shut it down anyway."

Selektah said he was arrested and put in a squad car.

"Basically to avoid a riot they let me go," he said. "People were chanting my name, like, 'free Statik.'"

Dodge said the party drew people from as far as Haverhill, Mass., as well as the Epping, Newmarket and Fremont area. Police were investigating how the event was advertised, he said.

"It was very organized," Dodge said.

Gatchell has hosted other parties that police have had suspicions about, Dodge said. This one drew noise complaints from as far as the Hamilton Heights neighborhood, about 1 and 1/2 to two miles away, he said.

Two neighbors defended Gatchell, saying they have no complaints about the events he hosts.

On Prescott Road, houses sit far from each other. Woods line a street that eventually snakes to the historic home of Gov. Benjamin Prescott.

"He has parties here all the time. It doesn't bother me," said one man, who would not give his name. He added: "There's been louder times than last night."

The other neighbor said Gatchell is a "good guy" who recently loaned her equipment to help her paint her house. She said she doubts underage drinkers were invited to the party.

"I know when I was in high school and when I heard there was a party like that, I'd go find it," said Kathy, who declined to provide her last name.

Gatchell, "just likes to have a good time," she said. "We all know Gatch is going to have a party."Gatchell said his girlfriend's parents live across the street and attended the event. His 10-year-old daughter was not there this time, but usually helps drive people around in a golf cart, he said.

Only once before have police come onto the property during a party, Gatchell said. The other time, they did not bring charges, he said.

"I'm trying to live the American dream," said Gatchell. "And I guess people don't like that."

[aries]

I said it before, NH cops are wicked hardasses and love to break up parties, even if nobody complained at all... even if there's no alcohol.

They often try to search the house as well.

[Dave Ridley]

ok going to work on this

[Dave Ridley]

<<I think we really need to focus the General Court on breaking this obsession.>>

i think i need to focus *me* on breaking this obsession. 

[Dave Ridley]

perp:

Chief of Police
Gregory Dodge

157 Main St
Epping, New Hampshire 03042
(603)679-512

called chief, left msg on voicemail

[earthhaven]

This weekend was the move-in weekend at Keene State, and Keene police wasted no time in finding parties and busting underage drinkers. Last year Keene got a quarter million dollar federal grant to fight underage drinking. I've gotta say I'm sick of tax dollars going to this

[FTL_Ian]

Someone local should consider contacting Mr. Gatchell and inviting him to the forum.

[lildog]

I said it before, NH cops are wicked hardasses and love to break up parties, even if nobody complained at all... even if there's no alcohol.

That reminds me of a funny story of when I was serving as president of the national fraternity.  The guys we had up at Saracuse U. were having problems with their parties being broken up.  Their school required log books listing who was at the parties and check boxes next to people who showed ID and the school was able to request and view these books at any time.  The school also reserved the right to inspect the PRIVATELY owned fraternity houses at any time.

We'll these guys having had their last 3 or 4 parties raided by campus thugs (private security hired by the college) checking IDs at random, wandering the house looking for drugs etc felt that in the tradition of fraternities something really stupid had to be done on their party so they had a milk and cookies party.

Everyone came dressed in their sunday best, suits & ties, nice dresses etc, like they were going to church.  Their was music and dancing but only milk and cookies were surved.  Sure enough the campus thugs showed up and inspected the house... they actually gave them twice as hard of a time not finding beer because they suspected something HAD to be up being it was a fraternity house and all.

[KBCraig]

Someone local should consider contacting Mr. Gatchell and inviting him to the forum.

Gatchell Excavation Incorporated
52 Prescott Rd
Epping, NH 03042

(603) 679-2668

[Dave Ridley]

the chief called me back but i missed it and he left a voice mail.   Said he couldn't answer questions about an ongoing investigation but was polite.   I called him and left another voice mail...said I appreciated his quick return call but...

it seemed like they had really worked hard on saturday night to set a new record in terms of the number of constitutional amendments bent in one night.

amendment one bent with their attempt to "investigate" how the event advertised itself
amendment two possibly bent with their handling of the AK 47 in the trunk issue, I said I wished everyone had an AK in their trunk.
Amendment 4 bent with their entry onto his property
Amendment 5 bent by forcing people to incriminate themselves by showing ID indicative of age

I said you almost made it all the way from one to five without interruptions  !      I said i realize there are probably many things you guys do over there which are great that I don't know about, and thank you for those, but I don't appreciate the saturday stuff, I want you to know you have opposition and my state taxes presumably pay for some of what you do so it's my business!

[aries]

the chief called me back but i missed it and he left a voice mail.   Said he couldn't answer questions about an ongoing investigation but was polite.   I called him and left another voice mail...said I appreciated his quick return call but...

it seemed like they had really worked hard on saturday night to set a new record in terms of the number of constitutional amendments bent in one night.

amendment one bent with their attempt to "investigate" how the event advertised itself
amendment two possibly bent with their handling of the AK 47 in the trunk issue, I said I wished everyone had an AK in their trunk.
Amendment 4 bent with their entry onto his property
Amendment 5 bent by forcing people to incriminate themselves by showing ID indicative of age

I said you almost made it all the way from one to five without interruptions  !      I said i realize there are probably many things you guys do over there which are great that I don't know about, and thank you for those, but I don't appreciate the saturday stuff, I want you to know you have opposition and my state taxes presumably pay for some of what you do so it's my business!

Don't neglect the state constitution

[KBCraig]

Great work Dada. You're a freedom machine!

Today's UL update:

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Charges+pending+for+Epping+bash&articleId=3dcc7caa-4ebe-44da-82b3-e9a8e072a8b8

Charges pending for Epping bash

By EMILY BEAVER
Union Leader Correspondent

EPPING ? Police expect to file charges soon against the resident who hosted a raucous party they broke up over the weekend.

Epping police Sgt. Sean Gallagher said yesterday the department expects to charge Paul Gatchell, whose Saturday night party led to 18 underage drinking arrests, for facilitating an underage drinking party. After an investigation is completed, police also expect to charge other adults believed to have helped Gatchell facilitate the party, Gallagher said.

Police allege that Gatchell, 35, hosted a party at his 44 Prescott Road Home that drew between 350 and 600 partygoers, the largest party liquor enforcement agents had ever seen, they told police.

When police busted up Gatchell's party early Sunday morning, University of New Hampshire police, with their van and riot control equipment, were called in to assist with an unruly crowd. Police arrested 11 people for internal possession of alcohol. One person was charged for resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.

The party's disc jockey, who called himself Statik Selektah, was also arrested. A promotion on the DJ's Web site billed the party at a "secret NH location" as a back-to-school pajama party. The advertisement listed a $10 cover charge for women in lingerie or bikinis.

Gatchell has denied police estimates of the number of partygoers present at his home.

He said the number was closer to 150, and that women were encouraged to wear lingerie to the party.

Gatchell has also said teenagers who tried to sneak in were turned away.

[Dave Ridley]

which provisions of the state constitution did they violate?

[FTL_Ian]

Anyone contacted this guy?  I'd do it, but it doesn't feel right from out of state.

[Dave Ridley]

Anyone contacted this guy?  I'd do it, but it doesn't feel right from out of state.

Ya i called him today and invited him here.  I forgot to ask if I could repeat here all the things he told me, but  at least he knows where to find us.  I will say that I asked him what if anything we could do to help and he indicated that raising people's awareness of the situation and raising questions was the best thing he could think of right now.  He said we would probably have better ideas for how to help than he would.