MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — A sexual assault trial starts Monday for a New Hampshire man whose arrest more than seven years ago kicked off one of the biggest youth detention scandals in U.S. history.
Former youth counselor Jeffrey Buskey, 60, of Litchfield, faces allegations involving four boys held at the Youth Development Center in Manchester in the late 1990s. In the first of his cases to go to trial, he is charged with 21 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault involving David Meehan, who was 14 when he arrived at the facility now called the Sununu Youth Services Center in 1995.
Meehan filed the first of more than 1,100 lawsuits alleging physical, sexual or emotional abuse spanning six decades. His allegations led to the arrest of Buskey and another former worker in 2019, an unprecedented criminal investigation, nine additional arrests, and the establishment of a settlement fund to compensate victims.
During his civil trial, Meehan described Buskey's transformation from trusted father figure to horrific abuser, testifying that he gave him soda and snacks and let him play basketball with a local high school team before subjecting him to near daily rapes.
“It went from being somebody I trusted, that I thought was not just there to help me, but somebody I thought cared for me, to hurt,” he said.
The Associated Press generally does not identify those who say they were victims of sexual assault unless they have come forward publicly, as Meehan has done. A jury awarded him $38 million in May of 2024, though that verdict remains in dispute as the state seeks to reduce the amount to $475,000.
In a police interview transcript recently filed in court, Buskey couldn’t remember his home address from the 1990s and struggled to spell his then-fiancée’s last name, but brought up Meehan’s name unprompted. He denied abusing him, saying they had a “great relationship.”
“I was always nice to the kid, I was always trying to help him," he said.
The youth center, which once housed upward of 100 children but now typically serves fewer than a dozen, is named for former Gov. John H. Sununu. Lawmakers have approved closing the facility, which now only houses those accused or convicted of the most serious violent crimes, and replacing it with a much smaller building in a new location.
In the other criminal cases, three men have been convicted: Bradley Asbury, Stanley Watson and James Woodlock. Jurors acquitted Jonathan Brand and deadlocked in the case of Victor Malavet, leading to a mistrial. Charges were dropped against Trevor Middleton; Frank Davis was declared incompetent to stand trial, and Gordon Searles died while awaiting trial. Stephen Murphy, who has pending charges, had one trial end in mistrial and another end with an acquittal on three charges and a hung jury on five others. Lucien Poulette is awaiting trial.
FILE - Youth Development Center. plaintiff David Meehan testifies as his intake photo, when he was 14 is displayed during his civil trial at Rockingham County Superior Court in Brentwood, N.H. on April 17, 2024. (David Lane/Union Leader via AP, Pool, file)
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 14, 2026--
Eiseman Jewels NorthPark Center proudly announces the renowned luxury collection from Rahaminov Diamonds, a third-generation, family-owned luxury jewelry house, to its diamond and colored gemstone collection.
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The Rahaminov Diamonds collection is available now at Eiseman Jewels’ NorthPark Center salon or at eisemanjewels.com.
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ABOUT EISEMAN JEWELS
Highly regarded as the Southwest’s premier jeweler with gracious and expert service, Eiseman is purveyor to a coveted designer collection, a growing Estate Jewelry Collection, an extensive selection of bridal diamond jewelry and an unparalleled collection of GIA-certified diamonds of impressive quality and size. Eiseman Jewels also boasts an impressive watch collection with manufactures TUDOR, Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Ulysse Nardin, Louis Moinet, L’Epee 1839 clock creations, and Parmigiani Fleurier, in addition to its Rolex Certified Pre-Owned program and its Eiseman Exceptional certified pre-owned timepieces. Eiseman has also expanded its winder and safe collection featuring Wolf 1834 and Buben & Zorweg.
Eiseman celebrated the grand re-opening of its redesigned and expanded NorthPark Center salon in spring 2025, including three adjoining spaces—a TUDOR boutique, an exclusive Rolex showroom and the Eiseman Jewels salon. As the original family-owned tenant of NorthPark Center, the retailer anchors the most important retail location in the Center and in the southwest. Located adjacent to Neiman Marcus, customers can contact Eiseman Jewels at 214-369-6100 during store hours of Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. until 5 p.m., closed Sunday, or by appointment in your home, office or jet.
Eiseman Jewels has been recognized by WatchPro in its Power List 2026 and as “Best Refurbished Store by a Retailer” in 2025, and by D magazine in its “Best of Big D 2025.” As well, Eiseman has been awarded Modern Luxury Dallas magazine’s “Best of the City” in 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022, and been recognized by Town & Country magazine as “Best Independent Jeweler” and by National Jeweler magazine as the finest independent jewelry store in the United States.
Rahaminov Diamonds 18 karat yellow gold "Dancing" eternity band featuring 14 Moval® diamonds; available at Eiseman Jewels in Dallas, Texas.
