Epping man faces up to 44 years for sex assault on Rochester girl

Reynold Solari (Rochester Police photo)

DOVER, N.H. - An Epping man was found guilty today of felonious sexual assault on a 12-year-old Gonic girl back in 2014.

Reynold Solari, 43, of 349 Calef Hwy., was also found guilty on two counts of endangering the welfare of a child in the Oct. 20, 2014, assault at the girl's mother's house where Solari said he'd gone to stay for the night after having a fight with his wife.

The jury began deliberating the case late Thursday afternoon and returned with the verdict around midafternoon today.

Solari had stood accused of one counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault, three counts of felonious sexual assault, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and two counts of simple assault in connection with the incident.

Solari, testifying on his own behalf on Thursday, said he and the girl's mother smoked marijuana and were "fooling around" on the couch as other young children as well as the 12-year-old watched movies on the TV.

He said he'd also drank some beers that day and at one point while watching the movie the 12-year-old showed him where the bathroom was so he could relieve himself.

Later he said he and the woman went to her bedroom for the night, but sometime during the night he walked naked down a hall to the bathroom because he had to vomit.

Under questioning from a prosecutor he asserted he never went into any room but the bathroom, but in a recorded interview with an officer soon after the incident was reported, he had said he may have inadvertently entered a separate room.

On the stand on Thursday Solari testified that, in fact, he did not enter any other room, but may have said something to that effect to appease officers who were "grilling" him during the interview.

The February 2015 indictments' most serious charges had included an aggravated felonious sexual assault count that alleged Solari touched her genitals, either directly or through clothing; and three felonious sexual assault counts that alleged he touched her breasts and buttocks and made her touch his genitals.

Of the three felonious sexual assault charges, Solari was found guilty on one.

Meanwhile, the two endangering the welfare of a child counts against Solari stem from his asking the girl to engage in two separate forms of sexual activity.

The guilty finding on the single felonious sexual assault charge carries up to a 30-year prison term, while the two endangering the welfare of a child charges carry up to seven years apiece.

Sentencing won't be scheduled for several weeks, so a presentencing report can be filed.