--- title: "Former youth counselor Jeffrey Buskey faces sex assault trial" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/former-youth-counselor-jeffrey-buskey-faces-sex-assault-trial" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/former-youth-counselor-jeffrey-buskey-faces-sex-assault-trial" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/former-youth-counselor-jeffrey-buskey-faces-sex-assault-trial.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/former-youth-counselor-jeffrey-buskey-faces-sex-assault-trial" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-09-14T18:46:22.387Z" source_reported: "2026-09-14T17:01:40.000Z" updated: "2026-09-14T18:46:22.387Z" trust_score: 70 critic_score: 75 hype_score: 15 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-14T18:03:10.099Z" --- # Former youth counselor Jeffrey Buskey faces sex assault trial *Buskey is accused of 21 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault involving four boys in the late 1990s.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 70 of 100, higher is better. The central claim is attributed to the Associated Press, and two independent outlets published full reports. - Craft 75 of 100, higher is better. The reporting clearly separates fact from comment and includes specific details, dates, and names. - Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. The language used is measured and proportionate, with no sensationalism or manufactured urgency. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Former youth counselor Jeffrey Buskey, 60, is on trial in New Hampshire facing 21 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault. - The charges involve four boys who were held at the Youth Development Center in Manchester during the late 1990s. - Buskey's arrest in 2019 followed more than 1,100 lawsuits alleging abuse at the facility over six decades. - One alleged victim, David Meehan, was awarded $38 million in a civil trial in May 2024, though the state disputes the amount. A sexual assault trial has begun in New Hampshire for Jeffrey Buskey, 60, a former youth counselor. Buskey faces 21 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault. The allegations involve four boys who were at the Youth Development Center in Manchester during the late 1990s. The facility is now known as the Sununu Youth Services Center. Buskey's arrest in 2019 was a result of more than 1,100 lawsuits filed by individuals alleging abuse at the center over a period of six decades. David Meehan, one of the alleged victims, received a $38 million award in a civil trial in May 2024. The state, however, disputes this amount, seeking to reduce it to $475,000. During his civil trial, Meehan testified that Buskey, whom he initially trusted, subjected him to near-daily rapes. Meehan was 14 when he arrived at the facility in 1995. In a police interview transcript filed in court, Buskey denied abusing Meehan, stating they had a "great relationship" and that he was "always nice to the kid." The Sununu Youth Services Center, which once housed over 100 children, now typically serves fewer than a dozen. Lawmakers have approved plans to close the facility and replace it with a smaller building. Several other former workers have faced criminal proceedings, with some convicted and others awaiting trial or having charges dropped. ## Disagreement on civil award amount The Independent and WPLG report that a jury awarded David Meehan $38 million in May 2024, though the state disputes the amount and seeks to reduce it to $475,000. The other reports do not specify the amount awarded in the civil trial or mention the state's dispute. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated digests mention the state's dispute over the $38 million civil award granted to David Meehan, nor the specific amount the state seeks to reduce it to. The right-rated digest also does not detail the broader context of over 1,100 lawsuits filed alleging abuse at the facility over six decades, nor the planned closure of the Sununu Youth Services Center. ## Who covered it Shares of the 14 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 57% (8) - Centre: 36% (5) - Right: 7% (1) 2 of 16 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-14T18:03:10.099Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 9 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-14T21:00:15.435Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports led with the commencement of the sexual assault trial for former youth counselor Jeffrey Buskey. They highlighted that his arrest in 2019 initiated one of the largest youth detention scandals in U.S. history. These reports detailed Buskey's charges, including 21 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault involving four boys at the Youth Development Center in Manchester during the late 1990s. They also noted the $38 million civil award to alleged victim David Meehan and the state's dispute over the amount. The Independent, in its full report, included direct quotes from Meehan describing Buskey's alleged abuse and Buskey's denial in a police interview. These reports also mentioned the broader context of over 1,100 lawsuits alleging abuse and the planned closure of the facility. ### Centre - The centre-rated reports focused on the start of the sexual assault trial for Jeffrey Buskey, a former youth counselor. They specified that Buskey faces 21 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault related to alleged abuse of four boys at the Youth Development Center in Manchester in the late 1990s. These reports mentioned Buskey's arrest in 2019 as a catalyst for a major youth detention scandal. They also included details about the civil trial where David Meehan was awarded $38 million, noting the state's dispute over the sum. WPLG, in its full report, mirrored the details provided by The Associated Press, including Meehan's testimony and Buskey's denial. ### Right - The single right-rated report, a digest from regionalmedianews.com, led with the news of the sexual assault trial for former youth counselor Jeffrey Buskey. It stated that his arrest more than seven years ago triggered one of the largest youth detention scandals in U.S. history and identified Buskey as being 60 years old and facing allegations involving four boys at the Youth Development Center in Manchester in the late 1990s. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 2 - high: 11 - unknown: 2 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [regionalmedianews.com](https://regionalmedianews.com/news/national/ex-youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-in-new-hampshire) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - Regional Media News - [PressNewsAgency](https://pressnewsagency.org/ex-youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-in-new-hampshire) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/new-hampshire-manchester-associated-press-b3049974.html) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/new-hampshire-manchester-associated-press-b3049974.html) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - [WHDH](https://whdh.com/news/ex-youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-in-new-hampshire) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - Boston News, Weather, Sports - [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/ex-youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-in-new-hampshire) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/news/world/united-states/ex-youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-in-new-hampshire/article_606ec243-e2f3-5b88-ba16-8b32504a5327.html) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - [WBAL](https://wbal.com/ex-youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-in-new-hampshire) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Ham - [Oskaloosa Herald](https://oskaloosa.com/news/national_news/ex-youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-in-new-hampshire/article_e592bd13-3fe4-5359-b4be-608a3d48a7d5.html) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - [The Caledonian Record](https://caledonianrecord.com/news/state/ex-youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-in-new-hampshire/article_e98d48b5-6da3-57bf-a2f6-e03207541b7f.html) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - [abc News](https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-136423230) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - [WPLG](https://local10.com/news/national/2026/09/14/ex-youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-in-new-hampshire) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - [WKMG](https://clickorlando.com/news/national/2026/09/14/ex-youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-in-new-hampshire) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - [WSLS](https://wsls.com/news/national/2026/09/14/ex-youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-in-new-hampshire) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - [The Record](https://therecord.com/news/world/united-states/ex-youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-in-new-hampshire/article_41d9198d-189f-598e-9334-e63e64e64b75.html) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/world/2026/09/14/ex-youth-detention-center-counselor-faces-sex-assault-trial-in-new-hampshire) — Ex-youth detention center counselor faces sex assault trial in New Hampshire ## Questions **Who is Jeffrey Buskey and what is he accused of?** Jeffrey Buskey, 60, is a former youth counselor on trial in New Hampshire. He faces 21 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault. The charges stem from alleged abuse of four boys held at the Youth Development Center in Manchester during the late 1990s. **What is the history of abuse allegations at the facility?** Buskey's arrest in 2019 followed more than 1,100 lawsuits alleging physical, sexual, or emotional abuse at the Youth Development Center over six decades. This has led to a broader scandal and criminal investigations into other former staff. **What was the outcome of David Meehan's civil trial?** David Meehan, one of the alleged victims, was awarded $38 million in a civil trial in May 2024. However, the state disputes this amount and is seeking to reduce it to $475,000. **What is happening with the youth detention center itself?** The facility, now called the Sununu Youth Services Center, is slated for closure. Lawmakers have approved replacing it with a smaller facility. The center once housed over 100 children but now typically serves fewer than a dozen. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/former-youth-counselor-jeffrey-buskey-faces-sex-assault-trial. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Former youth counselor Jeffrey Buskey faces sex assault trial", https://mediabias.news/politics/former-youth-counselor-jeffrey-buskey-faces-sex-assault-trial