NH Coalition Statement on Sentencing of Former YDC WOrker James Woodlock

December 10, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
​Media Contact:
Alyssa Dandrea, [email protected]

Today marks a long-awaited step toward accountability in one of the most devastating scandals in New Hampshire’s history. James Woodlock, a former Youth Development Center staff member, was sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison for helping facilitate the sexual assault of David Meehan when he was a child at YDC. This case represents a profound betrayal by an adult who was entrusted with the safety and care of vulnerable young people.
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David’s voice, courage, and truth have been the driving force behind exposing a system that failed to protect the very children it was meant to serve. New Hampshire owes him a debt of gratitude for his persistence and his unwillingness to let this abuse remain hidden. David’s incredible strength has opened the door for others to be heard and reaffirmed that the criminal justice system must treat every survivor’s story with the seriousness it deserves.

“David Meehan provided some of the most vivid and compelling testimony that I have heard in my 14 years of experience on this bench,” the Honorable Judge Delker said at Wednesday’s sentencing hearing. “The acts of violence that you and your accomplices perpetrated on him were hard to listen to, much less to think about.”

Judge Delker also spoke about the realities of sexual abuse and the people who perpetrate it: “The sad reality of crimes like this is that even the most revered and respected members of our society engage in this unthinkable conduct. And it's, in fact, that very veneer of respectability that allows perpetrators to commit these crimes. The unfortunate reality of cases like this is that the named victims like Mr. Meehan are not the only ones who suffer. Your friends and family are victims because they trusted you and your actions betrayed that trust."

This sentencing does not erase the pain Woodlock inflicted, nor the years of harm endured by so many children at the hands of adults working for the State of New Hampshire. Today affirms that their voices matter, and that the truth cannot be buried forever. Further, it reinforces that the pursuit of justice for YDC survivors will continue until every individual who caused harm, ignored harm, or protected those who harmed children is held accountable.

Statement from Amanda Grady Sexton, Director of Public Affairs, New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence: “David Meehan’s courage in coming forward has changed the trajectory of this case and exposed a history of horrific abuse that never should have happened. Today is the result of a survivor who refused to be silenced and a legal system finally beginning to reckon with its past. We stand with David and with every survivor whose childhood was stolen at YDC. Justice must continue, and we will not stop advocating until every survivor is heard, believed, and supported.”

The Coalition extends our deepest appreciation to David for his strength and to all survivors who continue to come forward. Their truth is reshaping this state, and their courage will protect future generations of children from ever enduring what they endured.