Harrison Thorp 11:06 a.m. ONLY IN THE VOICE
Thursday, August 14, 2025 11:00 am
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DOVER - The allegations of a former Rochester school board member who accused the school board chair of criminal wrongdoing have been found groundless following an investigation by the Strafford County Attorneys Office.
In a document obtained today by The Rochester Voice that details the decision, Strafford County Attorney Emily Garod states that school board chairman Shane Downs, who is also a sworn Rochester Police Officer, gained no "pecuniary" or financial interest in making official decisions for the school board.
"Even if there was evidence that the police department or law enforcement benefited generally from a decision Mr. Downs made in his capacity of a public servant, that is not sufficient," Garod stated. "In order to be criminal Mr. Downs would have personally needed to gain pecuniary benefit. There is no information or evidence to suggest that Mr. Downs received any person benefit from an action taken in his capacity as chairperson."
The other allegation that could have risen to the criminal level was when "an individual threatens harm to a public servant with the purpose of influencing their action or discretion" as Stokes alleges during a discussion over her alleged out-of-town residency.
Garod, however, ruled that "Nowhere in the communication provided (Stokes' complaint letter) is there evidence that Mr. Downs made any threat of harm as is defined (in state statute). Further there is no indication or evidence that Mr. Downs' communications to you regarding your change of residency were make with the purpose to influence an action, decision, opinion, recommendation, nomination, vote or other exercise of discretion as is required by statute."
Reached today by phone Stokes said she was disappointed by the Strafford County Attorneys Office decision, but still firmly believes the two criminal allegations do have merit.
"If he (Downs) was trying to get me off the board so I would not be able to vote, that seems to me to rise to the level of criminal complaint," she said.
As regarding Garod's statement there was no evidence that school board chair Downs received financial benefit for backing an agreement with Rochester Schools that gave police the upper hand in disciplining special needs students, Stokes agreed that there may have been no money that changed hands, "but it was still a conflict of interest."
"Whether it was perceived as a conflict of interest or not, he stood to benefit by signing the agreement that added language that gave police the power over school administrators in special needs discipline policy," she added.
County Attorneys Office letter below
