Police raid school superintendent's office

By Mark E. Vogler, Gretchen M. Putnam and Jill Harmacinski
Staff writers

June 20, 2009 12:50 am

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LAWRENCE — State and local police confiscated computers and other items from the offices of School Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy last night after allegations of "financial improprieties."

"We are currently working with state police assigned to District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office," Lawrence police Chief John Romero said as a search warrant was being obtained to enter the School Department offices at 255 Essex St.

Detectives brought dozens of collapsed packing boxes and paper bags into the downtown offices not far from Campagnone Common, where the city's Hispanic festival was underway.

Jack Dawley, first assistant district attorney, and Tom Donovan, special counsel to District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, arrived at the office at 8:30 p.m., as Lawrence and state police detectives started executing the search warrant inside.

Police had been inside the superintendent's office since 3 p.m. Both entrances to the School Department were blocked all night and a crime scene technician entered and exited the building on numerous occasions.

Both Capt. Denis Pierce, who leads the Lawrence police detective division, and Detective Lt. Norm Zuch, commander of the troopers assigned to Blodgett's office, spent hours in the offices.

Dawley left around 10 p.m., but declined comment on the investigation, which was prompted by a School Committee member's complaint Thursday night.

The search warrant was obtained "to seize computers and other materials at the department," Romero said.

But it was unclear last night if just Laboy, who has been away from the district on medical leave, or others are the intended target of the investigation.

Mayor Michael Sullivan, who spent some time last night in the School Department, said the investigators were pulling information from personal computers in the media room where the School Department's printing press is located.

Charles Birchall, who works in the media department, Sal Petralia, school human resources director, and Naomi Stromberg, a School Department attorney, all left the School Department at various times last night.

Sullivan declined to comment on the specifics of the investigation but did say he was concerned this was another "black eye" for Lawrence.

"It's been an ugly last couple of months," said Sullivan, who said he did not talk to Laboy yesterday.

The criminal investigation stems from complaints made by School Committee member Sammy Reyes. He has already filed complaints with several state agencies asking them to probe ethics violations and other alleged misconduct involving Laboy and others, and is now seeking criminal prosecution of the superintendent.

"All I can tell you is that I've asked the Lawrence Police Department to look into financial improprieties that directly involve the superintendent," Reyes said. "It's unfortunate that we're in this situation, but I want the superintendent to be held accountable for his actions. And if there is an ongoing investigation, I'm going to be asking that the superintendent get suspended immediately."

Laboy this week said he was planning to return to his $200,000-a-year job next week after being on medical leave since checking into the hospital for work-related stress on May 14.

Reyes said Thursday night that he was interviewed for about 40 minutes by two detectives. He said he provided them with the same formal complaint that he initially filed with Blodgett's office.

The latest allegations against Laboy are not the same complaints that Reyes filed previously with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance, the state Ethics Commission and the state inspector general's office.

The Office of Campaign and Political Finance is investigating whether three School Committee members and other politicians had signs and campaign literature printed at no cost on the School Department's printing press. Reyes alleged that those who benefited included School Committee members Peter Larocque, Gregory Morris and Priscilla Baez and former committee member Omaira Mejia. Reyes said the agency also is looking at several local and state politicians who benefited from material generated on the School Department printing press.

Reyes filed a similar complaint with the state Ethics Commission. In a previous interview, he said that probe is focused on allegations that Laboy and other School Department staff used the printing press for personal, non-school-related projects. Reyes said the commission was provided information which shows Laboy had menus and mailers done for his son, who runs a pizza business in Methuen; for his church; several magazines; an organization that he belongs to; and for his wife's job at the Lowell public schools.

Reyes also told officials involved in those investigations that he was concerned that Laboy and other members of his staff were attempting to destroy computer files, documents and other incriminating evidence that would prove wrongdoing.

Reyes declined to elaborate on the specifics of his latest accusations against Laboy, saying he doesn't want to compromise what is now a criminal investigation.

But he insists the allegations are serious enough to justify the superintendent stepping down.

"At this point, I don't believe that the superintendent has what it takes to move this school district forward because — with conduct like this — he has shown poor judgment and poor leadership skills," Reyes said. "It's time that the school district move forward without Superintendent Laboy. I no longer see him as the face of the Lawrence public schools. I see him as a distraction for the Lawrence public schools."

Meanwhile, Sullivan said he has a "different take" on Laboy's tenure at the School Department, which hasn't been all negative. "I've worked alongside him for eight years, built a number of schools, and test scores are going the right way," Sullivan said. "I've seen a lot of good, positive things that have happened."

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