Drug court keeps man out of jail, if he stays clean

Judge Steven M. Houran goes over some of the details of drug court during the sentencing of Michael Brochu, left, on Wednesday in Strafford County Superior Court. (Lebanon Voice photo) ; below, right, Brochu's police mug shot

DOVER, N.H. - A Somersworth man arrested in a string of theft and drug charges in Dover and Rochester pleaded guilty on all counts at Strafford County Superior Court on Wednesday in exchange for a one and a half to three year suspended sentence and his agreement to enter the Strafford County Drug Court, a program that combines intense outpatient substance abuse treatment and other life skills during a minimum 13-month treatment program in exchange for staying out of prison.

Michael Brochu, 27, who spent his last 220 days at the Strafford Jail, pleaded guilty to burglary, drug possession, forgery and DUI charges, all amassed between December of last year and May when he was pulled over by Rochester Police and arrested for driving under the influence and drug possession.

"I don't know if you know what you're in for," said Judge Steven M. Houran, who runs the drug court. "A lot of folks would say it's easier to do the time. Are you nervous?"

"Yes," Brochu replied. "Nervous I might mess up."

"I appreciate your honesty," the judge said.

Brochu was arrested last December after Rochester Police found him and another man trying to get customers at Monster Gas on South Main Street to give them cash in exchange for using a stolen credit card for their gas.

Wary customers told the store clerk who called police. The pair fled but were arrested a short time later, Brochu in the parking lot of a nearby Dunkin' Donuts.

Then in March Brochu was arrested for forgery, a Class B felony, in Dover.

Finally, on May 13, he was arrested by Rochester Police for DUI and on a drug possession charge, another Class B felony.

Brochu will also be on probation for three years, so besides having to comply with any and all Drug Court requirements, he'll have to do the same for his probation officer.

Drug court components include group psychotherapy, psycho-education, individual therapy, and aftercare. Clients move through progressive levels as they complete relevant treatment objectives related to understanding the nature of addiction, relapse prevention, and development of an effective recovery program.

The Intensive Outpatient Program requires clients to maintain a commitment to abstinence from all use of addictive substances. It also requires attendance at a minimum of three AA/NA meetings per week.