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More sex assault charges filed against Hodges

By Dean Shalhoup - Senior Staff Writer | Jan 24, 2020

NASHUA – Arrested and charged roughly three weeks ago with two counts of felony aggravated felonious sexual assault and two related misdemeanors, Milford resident Noah Hodges was booked at police headquarters, then released on personal recognizance bail.

On Thursday, Hodges, 21, walked in to Hillsborough County Superior Court-South for his arraignment, but left the courtroom in the custody of court officers after Judge Charles Temple ordered Hodges jailed on preventive detention as his cases proceed.

The new set of charges opens Hodges’ fourth case file at the Superior Court level, and the second to be filed at the county’s Southern division in Nashua.

But one of those has since been moved to Superior Court North in Manchester, where, by agreement of the parties, it was consolidated with Hodges’ largest case file.

That file, opened about a year and a half ago when Hodges’ residence was listed as Mont Vernon, contains 11 charges: Six counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault (AFSA) – three allegedly involving a household member, and three alleging no consent; four counts of felonious sexual assault (FSA) – penetration, alleged victim age 13-15; and one count of AFSA – concealment or surprise.

The case file with which it is being consolidated contains three charges – one count each of AFSA – household member and AFSA – no consent, and one count of FSA – penetration, victim age 13-15.

The Hillsborough North grand jury indicted Hodges on the 14 charges in May.

Nashua-based attorney Robin Melone, who is representing Hodges, said consolidating the cases makes sense for travel and logistical purposes, plus the charges in both case files involve the same time frame and same alleged victim.

Meanwhile, the other Hillsborough North case contains one count of attempted AFSA, a felony, and four counts of simple assault, Class A misdemeanors. One count of FSA was dismissed.

The case is currently scheduled for jury selection on Feb. 10 in Hillsborough North.

A final pre-trial conference on the consolidated case is scheduled for April 9, with jury selection to take place April 20, according to the case summary.

As for Hodges’s latest arrest, Temple stated in the bail order that his decision to hold Hodges on preventive detention is “based on the facts, and the circumstances, surrounding the complaints.”

The charges include one count each of AFSA – use of force or violence, and AFSA – no consent, along with one count each of simple assault and false imprisonment, Class A misdemeanors.

The charges accuse Hodges of forcing himself upon a female he knows after inviting her to his home on May 31.

The two were friends, and “have hung out before with no issues,” the alleged victim told police on Nov. 25, when she went to police headquarters to report the alleged assault.

When Hodges invited her over and told her to bring her dog, she “was under the impression they were going to let their dogs play together,” police said in their reports.

But later, Hodges allegedly “made her put her dog in the other room,” then allegedly “began being forceful with her,” police said.

He allegedly forced her to have sex, despite her repeated statements that she had to leave, and her efforts to pull away from him, the alleged victim told police.

Four days after receiving the report, detectives went to Hodges’ residence, told him he was the suspect in a sexual assault and asked him if he wanted to speak about it,” police said.

Hodges allegedly responded that he “didn’t know what (the detective) was talking about, and he would have his attorney reach out to me.”

When the detective contacted Melone, police said, “she declined to have Noah come in for an interview.”

After speaking with some of the alleged victim’s friends, who police said were aware of the allegations, the detective put together a warrant for Hodges’s arrest, which was served on Jan. 7.

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