# Portsmouth N H Focuses On Sex Parties



## Inspector

By Elizabeth Dinan 
[email protected]

PORTSMOUTH - A biweekly "swingers" party has been hosted at the same city residence for 17 years, according to Internet postings by "Middle Door" party host and property owner, Joseph A. Ranguette.

Because of his party postings, Ranguette's 42 Cutts St. triplex has been under police surveillance for more than a year, and the city attorney warned it will remain under scrutiny.

"We've advised the property owners that the conduct represented by their Internet material appears to be a violation of city ordinance and needs to be ceased," said City Attorney Bob Sullivan. "The bottom line is that it's zoned for residential use, and this kind of activity is not considered by the city to be normal residential use of the property."

That activity, as represented online by the Middle Door, includes alternate Saturday night sex parties "for couples and singles to explore themselves, unleash their passions, discover their sensuality, try something new, watch others enjoy, or take part."

Photographs of the interior of the Cutts Street residence, also posted on the site, showcase beds, a "voyeur room" with a swing over a bed, adult items and a downstairs buffet.

According to city documents, State Police Sgt. Richard Mitchell brought the matter to local police Sept. 29, 2005, by forwarding an anonymous, handwritten complaint sent to local state police headquarters. The complaint reported the timing of the swingers parties, directed police to the Middle Door Web site and said "the neighbors want it stopped." It also reported "people arriving in bus-like vehicles from out of state," parking problems and the opinion that charging an attendance fee for swingers - with the exception of single females - constitutes prostitution.

Subsequent police reports filed by Portsmouth Detective Sgt. Michael Ronchi include pages of Internet postings about the city swingers parties, reportedly hosted behind the middle of three doors at Ranguette's residential triplex, where a sign reads "no solicitation." City records show Ranguette, age 71, and his wife are the legal property owners, while the Middle Door Web site reports the couple rents the pair of apartments on either side.

Ronchi's reports to the city include his trace of the phone number listed for the Middle Door parties, which he found registered to Ranguette. A message left at that number by the Herald seeking comment about the city surveillance went unanswered.

According to city documents, on Oct. 13, 2005, Police Lt. Timothy Brownell took over the investigation and filed with the city pornographic images printed from the Middle Door's Web site, along with explicit photos of people claiming to be party participants.

Public record shows that on March 7, 2006, Sullivan wrote a letter to the Ranguettes reporting city officials learned from "multiple sources" about the "impermissible" use of their residential property. Sullivan explained the residential zoning designation for the neighborhood and reported he was advised that a "social club" was "holding regular meetings" at the address.

"While it would be inappropriate to provide the complete details in this letter, I am in possession of a significant volume of file materials which suggest the Middle Door activities are sexual in nature and involve activities not ordinarily expected to occur in residential neighborhoods," wrote the city attorney.

Other investigatory documents filed by the city are dated as recent as November 2006.

Sullivan said he could not comment on the matter except to say, "the city will monitor the property to determine whether any impermissible activities are occurring."


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## justanotherparatrooper

I volunteer to check it out


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## Nightstalker

justanotherparatrooper said:


> I volunteer to check it out


I'll back you up.. I hear those things get pretty violent!


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## justanotherparatrooper

should get Andy up here...wait, he probably knows these folks!


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## kwflatbed

*Homeowner Hosting Swingers Parties Could Face Lawsuit*

*Video: *City: Parties May Violating Zoning Rules

*PORTSMOUTH, N.H. -- *A man who police said hosts swingers parties at his home could end up getting sued by the city in which he lives.

Neighbors of 42 Cutts St. in Portsmouth said the parties have been going on for about 15 years.

The home, owned by 71-year-old Joseph Ranguette, is advertised on several swingers Web sites. It's referred to as the "middle door."

The sites list regular dates of parties and house rules, and they even request a donation, unless you're a single lady.

Police began keeping surveillance on the home more than a year ago after neighbors complained to state police and to city councilors.

The city attorney said that on the dates listed for parties, dozens of cars would be parked on the street. There are so many cars and people on a regular basis that the city said the homeowner may be violating the zoning rules for a residential neighborhood.

"At this point, we're looking at zoning issues. Regardless of the salacious nature of the alleged incident, what are the zoning questions?" said Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand.

The city advised the homeowner to stop holding the parties. The city attorney said that the activities stopped for a few weeks but then returned sporadically.

If the parties continue, the city could consider a lawsuit for violation of zoning rules.

News 9 tried speaking to Ranguette on Friday night as he got into a vehicle at his home. He simply said, "No comment."

_Copyright 2007 by WMUR. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed._​


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## SOT

*Re: Homeowner Hosting Swingers Parties Could Face Lawsuit*

71 years old? and swinging?


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## KozmoKramer

> Subsequent police reports filed by Portsmouth Detective Sgt. Michael Ronchi...


The detective investigating a swingers group is named "Ronchi" - now that's what I call irony.


> Ronchi's reports to the city..


Shouldn't that be Ronchi's raunchy reports to the city...


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## Inspector

Boys...Boys....That's pronounced Ron ki. Can understand though the misunderstanding


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## Guest

If a swingers party was the worst thing happening in my sector, I'd consider myself blessed.


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## Macop

Its pathetic that they cant find something better to investigate, what a joke.


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