Chad Hurlburt, Courtesy of the Vermont State Police.
Police arrested an East Montpelier man on the morning of Jan. 10 following evidence of additional alleged child-sex related charges after his original arrest on Nov. 18, 2022.
Chad Hurlburt, 42, is behind bars at the Northeast Correctional Complex in St. Johnsbury after alleged child-sex–related charges were added to the seven alleged child and other sex crimes, including four felonies, according to a report. If convicted, Hurlburt could face life in prison. Felony charges are for allegedly victimizing children several years younger than 16 years of age with more than one adult. Hurlburt has disavowed the accusations.
In their updated report issued Jan. 10, Vermont State Police state they got more information about additional alleged victims after the initial arrest. Probable cause was found for the second arrest, which occurred at Hurlburt’s home in East Montpelier on Jan. 10. Police then brought Hurlburt to the Berlin State Police barracks, and then to Washington County Superior Court. Additional charges for arraignment include cruelty to a child — subject to sexual conduct, aggravated sexual assault of a child, aggravated sexual assault, lewd and lascivious conduct with a child, and luring a child. He is being held without bail.
In November 2022, Hurlburt had also been charged with three other alleged crimes (not felonies), including accessory to repeated sexual assault of a child, repeatedly exploiting a vulnerable adult with a sexual act, and accessory to lewd and lascivious conduct involving a vulnerable adult. Hurlburt allegedly subjected the child to multiple abusive scenarios, primarily at 1293 Route 2 in East Montpelier, between May 25, 2021 and May 25, 2022, court documents state. Although he is charged only for acts involving one specific child, another child has previously made allegations, according to court documents. Hurlburt has denied the allegations saying the children were persuaded to make such accusations by adults, according to an affidavit by the investigating detective.
A months-long investigation led by Detective Trooper Matthew Nadeau was triggered in April by a call from the Vermont Department for Children and Families. At that time, Vermont State Police received a report based on alleged disclosures made to a worker at Washington County Mental Health pertaining to a child. The disclosures involved multiple allegations of sexual abuse and other potential alleged crimes, according to court documents. Hurlburt denied the allegations per court documents. After a lengthy follow-up investigation involving several adults and children, state police determined probable cause existed for his arrest.
Police found Hurlburt at his home on Nov. 18 and transported him to the Berlin barracks before bringing him to the Northeast Correctional Complex to be held without bail.
Following his appearance on Nov. 21 at Washington Superior Court, Hurlburt was released on the conditions he have no contact with two women and two children specified in the affidavit; that he not harass those same people; that he come to court when told; that he give the court clerk his address and phone number and immediately notify the court if it changes; that he abide by a 9:30-p.m.-to-7-a.m. curfew; that he not engage in any “violent, threatening, or tumultuous” behavior; that he stay at least 300 feet away from the women and children mentioned previously; that he stay 300 feet away from their vehicles, places of work, and places of schooling; and, finally, that he has no unsupervised contact with a child under 16 years old — including electronically — in addition to following all DCF safety plans involving Hurlburt and children.
The investigation involved forensic interviews by family medical professionals, in-person interviews by Detective Trooper Nadeau and other law enforcement officers, phone interviews, cellphone analyses, computer searches, photos, and videos. Investigation also involved several places in the area, including OUR House in Barre, the Department for Children and Families, a residence on Trailer Park Road in Waterbury, the Berlin VSP barracks, the Northeast Correctional Complex in St. Johnsbury, and a home in Montpelier. It turned out multiple adults and children had alleged involvement in various aspects of numerous illicit incidents.
