MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL REILLY ANNOUNCES 43 INDICTMENTS AGAINST 12 PEOPLE IN CONNECTION WITH INTERNATIONAL ANIMAL RIGHTS EXTREMIST GROUP

http://www.ago.state.ma.us/press_rel/shacind.asp
Office of Attorney General Tom Reilly
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 25, 2002 CONTACT:
BETH STONE
(617) 727-2543 

Defendants Charged with Stalking, Making Threats against a Boston Insurance Employee and His Family

BOSTON -- Twelve people allegedly linked to an international animal rights extremist group have been indicted on numerous charges, including attempted extortion, in connection with the alleged stalking, harassment and threats made to a Boston business executive and his family over five months, Attorney General Tom Reilly announced today.

The defendants are allegedly linked to "SHAC" ("Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty"), a group which originated in Britain and boasts of sometimes violent terror tactics used against people and companies who may have business relationships with the company Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS). HLS is a British company in the business of pharmaceutical testing.

The defendants allegedly launched a campaign of intimidation, harassment, extortion and threats against both the company Marsh USA and an employee of Marsh USA who lives in Boston. The campaign culminated with the group standing outside the multi-family apartment house where the employee lives, threatening to burn it down, telling the employee to quit his job and telling Marsh USA to sever its ties to an animal testing laboratory. In August, State Police arrested two alleged animal rights extremists, one of Boston and one of New Jersey, who were allegedly associated with SHAC.

The following people have been indicted in connection with the incidents by a Suffolk County grand jury:

Ryan Kleinert, 17, of East Brunswick, N.J., indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, threats to burn a dwelling, stalking in violation of restraining order and criminal harassment, and four counts of conspiracy.

Jacob Conroy, 26, of Seattle, Wash., indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, threats to burn a dwelling, stalking in violation of restraining order, criminal harassment, and four counts of conspiracy.

Ryan Smith, 19, of Billerica, indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, criminal harassment and two counts of conspiracy.
 
Laura Lungarelli, of Gilford, N.H., indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, criminal harassment and two counts of conspiracy.

Lisa Lotts, 23, of Allston, indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, criminal harassment and two counts of conspiracy.

Alexandra Doane, 18, of Foxboro, indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, criminal harassment and two counts of conspiracy.

Lauren Gazzola, 23, of Bethel, Conn., indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, criminal harassment and two counts of conspiracy.

Joshua Schwartz of Chicago, Ill., indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, criminal harassment and two counts of conspiracy.

Jennifer Greenberg, 17, of Wheeling, Ill., indicted on one count each of attempted extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion.

AG Reilly's Office also obtained indictments against two unnamed men and one unnamed woman. They face similar charges. Investigators have photographs of them and are seeking their identities.

The victim in this case is a mid-level manager for Marsh USA, an international insurance brokerage firm with a local office in Boston. The targeted Marsh USA employee has nothing to do with animal testing laboratories, or any of Marsh USA's insurance brokerage business related to them. The defendants allegedly targeted the employee because they believe that Marsh USA brokers the sale of insurance policies purchased by HLS.

The defendants allegedly tried to intimidate the employee into quitting his job, and thereby tried to intimidate Marsh USA into refusing insurance brokerage business related to HLS insurance policies.

An investigation found that the people indicted today allegedly have participated in activities including:

• Threatening to burn down the Boston apartment building where the Marsh employee, his wife, two-year-old son and residents of other units live.
• Gathering in front of his home and using a megaphone in a chant repeatedly threatening that "what comes around goes around...burn his house to the ground!"
• Demanding that the victim quit his job if he wants to stop the threats
• Vandalizing the building where the victim lived with red paint and the sidewalk in front of the building with red wax
• Visiting the home at all hours of the day and night, screaming threats and demands, often over a megaphone.
• Using chants calling the victim a "puppy killer" and "animal torturer"
• Referencing the two-year-son by name, and publicizing all of the family member's names and addresses on the SHAC USA website.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information should contact State Police in the Attorney General's Office at 617-727-2200.

Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Assistant Attorney General Philip J. McGovern of AG Reilly's Corruption, Fraud and Computer Crime Division is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by State Police assigned to the Division of Investigative Services and State Police assigned to AG Reilly's Office.
 

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