Man pleads guilty for Clinton NH office standoff

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DOVER — The man who took hostages last year at one of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign offices was sentenced Tuesday to three years in jail, followed by mental health treatment.

Leeland Eisenberg, 47, of Somersworth, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to kidnapping, criminal threatening and making a false report to police.

He's been held since being arrested after entering Clinton's Rochester office last Nov. 30, claiming to have a bomb. No one was hurt in a five-hour standoff and the bomb turned out to be road flares.

Eisenberg apologized in court, saying he has received treatment for substance abuse and completed his high school GED while in jail.

Eisenberg has been held at the Strafford County jail for 306 days, which will be credited to the sentence. He will spend a little more than two more years behind bars, followed by probation, including drug treatment, counseling and treatment for mental illness.

The plea agreement also included a felony stalking charge Eisenberg received on Oct. 29, 2007, after an incident with his ex-wife at her home.

Eisenberg told the court he had tried to get treatment for his mental health problems that sometimes made him suicidal, but could not be admitted because he had no money or health insurance.

Eisenberg said he also had been drinking heavily before the standoff.

He said he decided to go to Clinton's field office after seeing a campaign commercial in which the former presidential candidate helped a constituent get medical treatment.

"I wish I could tell you why or give you a reason this happened," he said. "I do know without a doubt if I had been on the right medication and seeking proper treatment, none of this would have ever happened."

Strafford County Attorney Thomas Velardi argued that Eisenberg wasn't remorseful, but was apologizing to gain favor with the court.

"I don't think he (Eisenberg) has any idea what he has caused these people and their loved ones," said Velardi. He reminded the court that Eisenberg has a criminal record that includes two rape convictions.

Though Velardi said the sentence was endorsed by both sides, he expressed disappointment in the length of jail time issued for a crime he called "a form of domestic terrorism."

His office had requested Eisenberg receive three to seven years in the New Hampshire State Prison.

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