Geno Marconi, who has overseen New Hampshire’s ports and harbors for decades, pleaded guilty Friday to a single count of sharing confidential records, bringing to a close a years-long criminal case.
Marconi was accused of sharing boating and motor vehicle records in an act of retaliation against Pease Development Authority board member Neil Levesque, with whom he had an acrimonious relationship, and then deleting voicemails while under investigation.
Under the terms of the plea deal, Marconi was sentenced to 30 days in jail, which will be suspended pending good behavior. He will also pay a $2,000 fine and resign from his position as director of the New Hampshire Division of Ports and Harbors. The remaining charges against him were dropped.
At Rockingham County Superior Court in Brentwood, where he entered his guilty plea before a judge Friday morning, Marconi told reporters he took responsibility for his actions but never intended to commit a crime by disclosing confidential records to an ally who served on an advisory committee.
“I've always considered myself to be an honest, law-abiding citizen,” he said. “Although at the time I believed that the Port Advisory Council members had legal authority to review those types of documents, I admit that I made a mistake, and I accept responsibility for that mistake.”
Marconi added that sharing Levesque’s records was done “without malice,” though he didn’t explain why he sought or shared the files.
Levesque, the target of Marconi’s retaliation effort, also addressed reporters outside the courthouse Friday, saying that Marconi’s actions put tremendous strain on his family. He also accused Marconi of presiding over a "sophisticated, organized criminal enterprise.”
“Today, the people of New Hampshire have won a first step in clearing out the organized criminal conspiracy that has plagued the division of ports and harbors for years,” he said.
Levesque didn’t elaborate on that alleged organized criminal activity. Prosecutors said they uncovered other improprieties involving Marconi, but said they didn’t believe they could secure a conviction on any other charges.
A sprawling criminal investigation
The state's investigation into Marconi would expand beyond his own alleged criminal conduct. His wife, state Supreme Court Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi, was indicted by prosecutors last year on allegations that she attempted to meddle into her husband’s investigation. Hantz Marconi’s indictments came just a day before prosecutors announced the changes against her husband last October.
Earlier this month, Hantz Marconi pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge related to a meeting she had in June 2024 with then-Gov. Chris Sununu, where the two discussed the case involving her husband. Sununu told authorities he didn’t believe Hantz Marconi crossed any ethical lines during their meeting.
As part of her plea, Hantz Marconi paid a $1,200 fine. Within days, the New Hampshire Supreme Court restored her to the bench, a move that appears to have caught state prosecutors, including Attorney General John Formella, off guard.
Hantz Marconi will turn 70 next February, the mandatory retirement age for judges in New Hampshire. She may still face other disciplinary measures from the state Judicial Conduct Committee, which is still reviewing her case.
A ‘covert op’ comes to an end
Marconi’s criminal case centered on allegations that he sought to retaliate against Levesque, who serves on the Pease Development Authority board of directors, the body that oversees Marconi and the state’s ports. Marconi and Levesque have long had an acrimonious relationship, according to lawyers in the case. Tensions flared over management of Rye Harbor — where Levesque has previously moored a boat — and regarding the accuracy of meeting minutes following public hearings.
In April, prosecutors allege that Marconi requested copies of Levesque’s pier permit, as well as boat and car registration, from Mandy Huff, Rye’s harbor master. Marconi texted Huff that his request was part of a “covert op,” according to court records, though it isn’t clear if that was in jest.
Marconi then shared the records with Brad Cook, who serves on the port advisory council.
Cook has also been charged criminally for allegedly lying to a grand jury about his involvement in the alleged scheme.
In legal filings, Marconi has said that the records he shared that belonged to Levesque are not confidential, as prosecutors contend. He notes that the Pease Development Authority routinely releases similar boat registration information as part of its public agendas before hearings.
Jury selection was set to begin Monday in Marconi's trial.
