Dover woman with long rap sheet accused of trying to take officer's firearm

Stephanie Lee MacDonald (Strafford Cunty Jail photo)

DOVER - A former area transient who avoided a prison sentence in 2021 by agreeing to inpatient treatment through the Strafford County drug court only to be arrested three days later when she was charged with assault has been indicted on charges that she attempted to take a Dover police officer's firearm in December.
According to the indictment, Stephanie Lee MacDonald, 42, now of Madbury Lane, Dover, attempted on Dec. 18 "to take a firearm from Officer Nate Gurnsey against his will, and Officer Nate Gurnsey being a law enforcement officer who was engaged in the performance of official duties as a Police Officer for the City of Dover."
The charge is a Class B felony punishable by three and a half to seven years in state prison.
MacDonald pleaded guilty to some 50 charges including drug possession, theft and assault on July 30, 2021, and was placed in a ride service car that was to take her to an inpatient treatment facility, former Strafford County Attorney Tom Velardi said at the time.
"She left in a car headed for a treatment facility, but just got out of the car and left," Velardi said.
According to a Hooksett police press release, at 3:02 p.m. on Aug. 2, 2021, Police Officers "were dispatched to 30 Market Drive, the Market Basket parking lot, for a report of a fight involving a male and female."
It was learned from store employees that MacDonald had stolen a bottle of wine and was leaving the store parking lot.
"When one of Market Basket's employees confronted MacDonald, she raised the bottle of wine and struck the employee," Sgt. Mike Zappala of the Hooksett Police Department said. "A struggle ensued between the employee and MacDonald until other officers arrived on scene."
MacDonald admitted to what occurred and was arrested for robbery, he said.
MacDonald was also charged with willful concealment, obstructing government administration, simple assault and criminal threatening.
MacDonald was later terminated from drug court.
The 50 charges MacDonald pleaded guilty to in 2021 went as far back as July 2015 when she was living on Franklin Street in Somersworth and arrested three times in two months for trafficking drugs including heroin and crack.
The 50 charges adjudicated in July 2021 comprised criminal activities including drug possession and trafficking, thefts and assaults over a six-year period.

MacDonald is currently being held at Strafford County Jail on no bail.
The Strafford County grand jury indictments were handed down on Jan. 18 and released to the public on Friday.
An indictment is not an indication of guilt, rather that enough evidence has been presented to a grand jury to move forward to trial.