Jury Finds Amherst Man, Former Hooksett Brewery Owner, Guilty Of Securities Fraud, Theft By Deception

CONCORD, NH — A man from Amherst was found guilty on securities fraud and other charges Thursday for his role in a scheme to bilk a trust of nearly $1 million to fund a brewery and personal expenses.

David Herlicka, 51, was found guilty on theft by deception, conspiracy to commit theft by deception, and the securities charge in Hillsborough County Superior Court-North. Between July 2014 and May 2015, Herlicka and Dennis Norquist, who were found guilty of earlier charges this year, obtained funds from the Parktown Trust, a family trust in the Granite State, to finance operations at White Birch Brewing LLC in Hooksett, which went out of business in 2022. Norquist’s role was to misrepresent the brewery’s financial condition and make false promises about repayment. Both told the trust the money was a “bridge loan” and that other financing was pending, which was not true.

Later, “significant portions” of the funds were used for “personal use,” the state said.

“This verdict is the result of a thorough investigation and a strong prosecution team,” Attorney General John Formella said. “Our team’s efforts reflect our ongoing commitment to holding accountable those who engage in fraudulent and deceptive business practices. I want to thank our attorneys, investigators, and our victim-witness advocate for their hard work in bringing this case to a successful conclusion, and I also want to express my appreciation to the jurors for their time and careful consideration of the evidence.”

Norquist, 71, of Gilford, was found guilty on securities fraud and theft by deception charges and sentenced in July to two concurrent sentences of one-and-a-half to three years in prison as well as one year of administrative home confinement after a year. He was also sentenced to a three-and-a-half-to-seven-year term, suspended for 10 years, after he is released from prison.

Herlicka will be sentenced on Dec. 10.

Do you have a news tip? Please email it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube or Rumble channels. Patch in New Hampshire is now in 190 communities. Also, follow Patch on Google Discover.