HAVERHILL — Thomas Minichiello Jr., a prominent and well-known local businessman with a long record of political and community service in Haverhill and Groveland, has been charged with beating, restraining and attempting to rape a 27-year-old woman in a Marlborough hotel.
Minichiello, 55, of Groveland, was arrested Sunday and held without bail until a hearing yesterday in Marlborough District Court. He wore a blue sports coat, khaki pants and handcuffs before a judge, who released him on his own personal recognizance.
The alleged victim told police Minichiello lured her to the Courtyard Marriott in Marlborough with the promise of a job with a fitness company Minichiello owns called The Danon Co. Court papers show the alleged victim and defendant met on the Internet and arranged the meeting over the phone.
Police say Minichiello touched the woman inappropriately several times and beat and dragged her back to his hotel room after she tried to flee. The second time she fled the room, the woman escaped, running naked to the front desk for help.
Minichiello is charged with two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older, assault with intent to rape, intimidating a witness, and assault and battery.
He is the owner of Minichiello Insurance Agency in Bradford, a former president of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, a current member of the Groveland Finance Board and a longtime observer of Haverhill politics. He is also a former resident of Hampstead, N.H.
Attorney Scott Gleason of Haverhill represented Minichiello at yesterday's hearing. Gleason said the woman's story is untrue but that he could not comment at this time about why Minichiello met the woman at the hotel.
"You have to read between the lines," Gleason said. "There's a whole other story that the court and district attorney are aware of that will come out eventually.
"What 27-year-old adult goes to a hotel room with someone they don't know and volunteers to take off their clothes freely," he said.
Here's what the victim told police:
She traveled from Rhode Island to meet Minichiello to interview for a job and test fitness equipment. Upon arriving at the Marriott, Minichiello took her first to the hotel's fitness room for "an endurance workout" and then upstairs to Minichiello's room for questioning and a physical examination. She said the job interview, which included an application and other paperwork, lasted about five hours.
During the physical exam, the woman told police Minichiello sat her on the bed and used a stethoscope to listen to her heart and lungs, and used an open hand to touch her breasts and "squeezed" all over her body.
The woman told police Minichiello had her change in and out of several different workout outfits while in the hotel room. At some point during the examination, the woman said she began to fear for her life and started to plan her escape. She told police she kicked him in the face and punched him a couple of times.
The woman said Minichiello then backed away and changed his voice to that of a child and asked the woman if she were angry at him.
When he tried to get near her again, the woman said she ran out of the room naked and headed for the elevator. She said Minichiello caught her and dragged her back inside the room. The woman then fled the room a second time, running naked down the stairs to the front desk and asked the attendant to call police.
Police arrived and arrested Minichiello, who told them he was conducting a "physical evaluation" of the woman for his company. During questioning, Minichiello told police he has no medical training or experience.
Court records show police seized various items from the hotel room, including a thermometer case, a black flashlight, medical supplies, fitness equipment, stethoscope, rubber gloves, workout weights, resistance hand grips, two hotel phones that had been ripped out of the wall, a queen-sized sheet with blood stains, three pairs of terry cloth shorts and three T-shirts cut into half shirts.
Gleason called the victim's story ridiculous.
"Who goes to a job interview on the fourth floor of the Marriott and takes off all their clothes?" he said.
The decision by the judge and district attorney to release Minichiello without bail shows they are not convinced of the victim's version of events, Gleason said.
"With the passing of four days and a more thorough examination of the accusations, the government and the court realized there's far more to this than originally presented to them," Gleason said. "His easy release is a reflection of the government's case. Look at the charges. Who gets released on personal recognizance with those kind of charges?"
Gleason said Minichiello is not doing well emotionally.
"He's terrible," Gleason said. "It's been a brutal few years for Tom."
Minichiello's 18-year-old daughter, Tara Minichiello, was killed in a car crash on Route 213 in Methuen in 2003.
A former vice president of the Girl Scouts of Spar and Spindle Council, Minichiello has served as a catalyst for such charity, civic and business events as the Great Race, an antique cross-country car race that chose Haverhill as its finish line in 1998 and brought national attention to the city. He's also known for his work with the Haverhill Business Expo, and other Chamber events including the ATHENA awards, Monopoly Auction and Valentine's Day Social.
In 2004, he was presented the Charles E. Billups Award, which annually recognizes an outstanding organization or individual in the service area that supports the efforts of the Haverhill Chamber of Commerce.
According to the Marlborough police report, Minichiello is divorced. The case was continued to May 15.
Possible evidence
Police seized these items from the room Thomas Minichiello Jr. rented at the Courtyard Marriott in Marlborough:
r Thermometer case
r Black flashlight
r Medical supplies
r Fitness equipment
r Stethoscope
r Rubber gloves
r Workout weights
r Resistance hand grips
r Two hotel phones that had been ripped out of the wall
r Queen-sized sheet with blood stains
r Three pairs of terry cloth shorts
r Three T-shirts cut into half shirts
