Dark Place
The New Hampshire Supreme Court has disbarred a former prosecutor who violated disciplinary probation by continuing to use illegal drugs.
The Union Leader had this story in March 2017
Finding himself on the other side of the law has been a humbling experience for ex-Rockingham County prosecutor Zachary Cross.
The 32-year-old lawyer from Auburn is trying to pick up the pieces after his battle with opioid addiction led to an arrest for possession of the drug oxycodone in Manchester in 2014.
“It’s taught me a lot. It’s very humbling to go into the courtroom and see people I worked with,” he said Tuesday.
The former assistant Rockingham County attorney continues to participate in a recovery program and said he’s been sober for several months, but admitted, “It’s a daily process. I can’t sit back and rest on what I did yesterday.”
With his 18-month-old son, Jackson, and other family members in tow, Cross and defense attorney Donald Blaszka made a brief appearance at a hearing on his deferred sentence Tuesday in Rockingham County Superior Court.
With his license to practice law in New Hampshire suspended for three years, Cross has had to find other work. He said he was able to get a full-time job in a warehouse, but he hopes to return to practicing law someday.
“Sitting in that court today made me miss it to some extent, but at the same time I’m just taking it one day at a time. I might find something else that I have greater passion for,” he said.
A judge on Tuesday agreed to suspend the balance of his sentence as long as Cross doesn’t get into more trouble and complies with other prior conditions.
Cross pleaded guilty in 2015 to drug possession and was given a suspended prison term and ordered to undergo drug and alcohol treatment and counseling.
He was also placed on probation and received a deferred jail sentence.
Cross served 30 days in jail after he was convicted of a charge of official oppression for placing a speeding ticket on file without a finding for a woman with whom he had a personal relationship. That incident took place while he was working for the County Attorney’s Office and also prosecuting cases in the Candia Circuit Court.
In December 2015, Cross was arrested in Raymond for domestic violence assault, but that charge was dismissed.
Legal troubles continued when Cross was found in violation of his probation in early 2016 after he suffered a medical emergency at his home. Tests found fentanyl and other substances in his system.
“I was in a pretty dark place. I wanted to stop the things I was doing and I couldn’t. I found out I couldn’t and I was powerless,” Cross said.
He insists that he’s turned things around since then.
The recovery program is an important part of his life, he said, and so are his son and 5-year-old daughter.
“It is a disease and it can happen to anyone. I’d like to see some of the stigma go away as we raise awareness,” he said.
Cross said he’s received a lot of help from the community, including from the nonprofit group Hope for New Hampshire Recovery.
“There are great resources that we have in our communities. I feel like they’re still underfunded, but it’s great to see that they’re there. They’re helping a lot of people,” Cross said.
Cross hopes Tuesday’s visit to the court is the last time he has to attend as a non-practicing attorney.
Asked when he expects his participation in the recovery program to end, he replied, “For me that’s going to be a lifetime.”
He did not object to the sanction.
In an unrelated matter, the court disbarred an attorney convicted of selling a controlled drug. (Mike Frisch)