City woman indicted in violent assaults on youngster

Joan Chesser (Rochester Police photo)

DOVER - A Rochester woman has been indicted in a child assault case in which she is accused in several vicious attacks, including shoving a young boy's face into a wall and striking him with a belt.

Joan Chesser, 30, of 8 Lafayette St, Apt A, is alleged to have made all of the attacks on the child, said to be under the age of 13, from Nov. 1-12 in Rochester.

Chesser is charged with five counts of enhanced misdemeanor simple assault, with each charge carrying a potential of five years in state prison.

According to the indictments, she at various times during the alleged attacks: shoved the boy's face into a bed, shoved his face into a wall, slapped him, struck him with a belt and grabbed his leg.

Each misdemeanor count also carries a maximum fine of $2,000 apiece.

The Strafford County grand jury indictments were handed down on Feb. 16 and released on Friday.

An indictment is not an indication of guilt, only that enough evidence has been presented to move forward to trial.