Six mens arrested for hunting and soliciting prostitution online.

PLAISTOW – One of six men arrested in a highly publicized prostitution sting in Kingston appeared in court Monday, pleaded guilty to a Class B misdemeanor charge of soliciting sex online for prostitution and was fined $720.

A judge suspended another $720 in fines for Steven Lafave, 44, of Auburn. If he has no run-ins with the law in the next 12 months, he won't have to pay the suspended amount, according to the Plaistow District Court.

Four of the other suspects - including Richard Osborne, the long-time voice of the University of New Hampshire Wildcats hockey team - waived their arraignment yesterday.

Meanwhile, it's uncertain whether Osborne will be behind the microphone when UNH hockey games begin in October.

Dot Sheehan, general manager for sports radio network at UNH, said the network is waiting to see what happens at Osborne's trial.

"He was a very valued member of our radio staff for a long time, and we are sensitive to his tenure here," Sheehan said. "We still wanted to treat Dick with dignity because he had been here for 26 years. He did a superb job for us."
Sheehan would not comment about who, if anyone, may replace Osborne.

Osborne and the others were arrested July 19 when police had set up an undercover sting operation at an undisclosed house for nearly nine hours. They had received nearly 35 serious inquiries to advertisements placed on craigslist under erotic services.

Osborne, the communications director for the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, is still employed with the community college system, said system spokesman Shannon Reid.

The trial dates have not been set for the four who waived their arraignment: Osborne; Joseph Geoffroy, 45, of Hudson; Daniel J. Driscoll, 42, of Plaistow; and Shaun Menzie, 43, of Atkinson.

Menzie, who also was charged with marijuana possession, resigned his job as executive director of the Boys Club in Haverhill, Mass., several weeks after his arrest.

The final suspect, Daniel Beers, 35, of Pelham, appeared in court Monday and pleaded not guilty. He faces a trial on Oct. 25.