Statie indicted on NH gal pal assault charges

The Massachusetts State Police sergeant accused of assaulting his girlfriend — and who has been locked up for months — has been indicted by a grand jury on three charges.

A New Hampshire grand jury recently returned three indictments against 38-year-old Sgt. Bryan Erickson, of Groveland. Erickson has been behind bars in New Hampshire’s Rockingham County Jail since the alleged incident on Jan. 31 at his girlfriend’s home in Exeter.

The three indictments are for: second degree assault — domestic violence; kidnapping — domestic violence; and criminal restraint.

Erickson is accused of strangling his girlfriend.

“Bryan Erickson knowingly engaged in the strangulation of (the girlfriend) by putting his hand on (her) mouth and nose and applying pressure,” the grand jury indictment reads, “Causing (her) to experience impeded breathing, blood circulation, and/or a change in voice at the time (she) was an intimate partner.”

The kidnapping indictment reads, “Bryan Erickson knowingly confined (her) under his control, with a purpose to terrorize her, by holding (her) down and/or preventing (her) from leaving the room.”

The criminal restrain indictment reads, “Bryan Erickson knowingly confined (her) unlawfully, exposing her to risk of serious bodily injury, by using force to restrain (her) and/ or prevent (her) from leaving the room.”

Erickson has also filed another appeal with the New Hampshire Supreme Court regarding bail issues.

His lawyers wrote in the appeal, “The complaining witness alleged in a restraining order application that she was strangled but denied to police that she was strangled.”

A Ring video from a neighbor’s home apparently shows the girlfriend on the night of the alleged incident leaving her home, and then returning by walking back in.

“The video reportedly does not show the defendant pursuing the complaining witness, preventing her from leaving or harming her,” the lawyers wrote in the appeal.

The judge has ruled multiple times that Erickson should remain behind bars, saying there’s “clear and convincing evidence of the defendant’s dangerousness.”

The Massachusetts State Police has suspended Erickson without pay. He earned $186,000 last year. The sergeant had been assigned to Troop A Northeast, which covers from Andover to Revere.

The arraignment on the three grand jury indictments, as well as a status conference, is scheduled for this morning.