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Western Massachusetts resident Lynn Clark age 51, of Belchertown in Hampden County, was arrested early Wednesday, April 6, said FBI Boston Division spokesperson Kristen Setera. Clark is the superintendent of Chicopee Public Schools.
Clark was arrested for allegedly making false statements in connection with sending threatening messages to a candidate for Chicopee chief of police, said US Attorney Rachael S. Rollins District of Massachusetts.
Clark was charged with one count of making false statements.
Clark will make an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield later Wednesday, the US Attorney's Office said.
According to the complaint, in December 2021, the City of Chicopee was in the process of hiring a new chief of police. On Dec. 3, 2021, law enforcement received a report that a candidate for the position was receiving threats intended to force the victim to withdraw their application.
Specifically, in November 2021, after submitting their application for chief of police, the victim received numerous text messages from unknown numbers containing threats to expose information that would cause the victim reputational harm, court documents show.
As a result, the victim withdrew their application, and the city delayed the selection process, the US Attorney's Office said.
It is alleged that a total of approximately 99 threatening messages were sent from fictitious phone numbers purchased through a mobile app, court documents show.
Phone and internet records revealed that these numbers were allegedly purchased by Clark and that the purchased numbers sent each of the threatening messages, the US Attorney's Office said.
Clark allegedly denied sending the messages on numerous occasions to investigators and cast suspicion on other individuals, officials said.
Specifically, over the course of the investigation, Clark allegedly suggested that the messages could have been sent by other city employees, the victim’s colleagues, and a member of Clark’s own family. Clark later admitted that she indeed sent the messages, court documents show.
This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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