A 73-year-old maintenance supervisor at the Pines Community Center in Northfield was arrested Monday and charged with three special felonies of aggravated sexual assault involving two alleged victims whose ages have not yet been disclosed.
Police in Northfield said they arrested Robert Magoon of Tilton on a warrant early Monday afternoon. Magoon was taken to the Merrimack County jail and held on $150,000 cash bail, according to a spokesman. An arraignment was set for this morning in Franklin’s district court.
The department declined to provide information about the alleged sexual assaults, other than to say they occurred at the center, located at 61 Summer St. Magoon has worked as a part-time employee there for years, according to the department.
The Pines offers a variety of child-care services, including summer camps, before- and after-school programs and an informal weekday playgroup for toddlers and their caregivers. It also has classes for adults and seniors, and it can be rented for events.
Police would not say whether the allegations involved children, and charges have not yet been filed in district court.
The Pines, which is run by the Tilton-Northfield Recreation Council, has been a registered nonprofit since 1967, according to records from the secretary of state’s office. The center runs on appropriations from Tilton and Northfield, as well as program fees.
Northfield’s most recent town report shows that Tilton and Northfield contributed $64,750 each for the 2015 budget year.
A receptionist at the Pines declined to speak with a reporter Monday and said the executive director, Jim Doane, was in a meeting and would not be commenting on the arrest. Town officials and recreation council members either declined to comment or could not be reached.
Activities continued in and around the small building Monday, where children were on the playground and playing on the basketball court in the midafternoon.
Police said they have been investigating Magoon with the Merrimack County attorney’s office. Northfield Town Administrator Glenn Smith said by phone that the town was informed of the investigation the same day as the arrest.
“I do not know how long the investigation has been going on,” Smith said. “The chief made us aware today. In Northfield, we have a very good, capable police department.”
County Attorney Scott Murray said the arrest was part of an ongoing investigation, and that interviews were still being conducted Monday afternoon.
(Jeremy Blackman can be reached at 369-3319, jblackman@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @JBlackmanCM. Elodie Reed can be reached at 369-3306, ereed@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @elodie_reed.)