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Sewanhaka High School teacher Tricia Manno, age 47, of Lindenhurst, has been indicted on multiple charges for the alleged false card, which she used in an effort to prove her vaccination status to district officials and later attempted to cover up.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said that an investigation determined that on Sept. 21, 2021, Manno allegedly submitted a digital copy of a vaccination card to the Sewanhaka Central High School District as proof of her vaccination status, which must be provided by staff to avoid undergoing weekly COVID-19 testing under district rules.
It is alleged that the digital copy had several discrepancies and appeared to be forged, according to Donnelly.
When the false card was uncovered, Donnelly said that Manno was asked to submit the original card to the school, which she claimed was lost while alleging she was vaccinated at the Northport VA Medical Center.
Donnelly said that on Sept. 27, 2021, Manno went to the Northport VA Medical Center in order to obtain a replacement card, and later allegedly showed a staff member a digital image of the forged vaccination card and claimed that she lost her original card.
According to the indictment, based on this false claim, a member of the medical center issued a replacement card, though the Northport VA Medical Center has no record of administering the COVID-19 vaccine to Manno, Donnelly noted.
On Oct. 5, 2021, Manno met with members of her school district and submitted the replacement vaccination card she allegedly received from the Northport VA Medical Center under false pretenses.
Manno was arrested and charged with:
- Second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument;
- Third-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument;
- Two counts of offering a false instrument for filing;
- Criminal possession of stolen property.
Donnelly said that Manno has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court on Tuesday, May 24. She faces a term of between two and one-third to seven years in prison.
“This defendant allegedly attempted to circumvent the school district’s mandatory testing requirement by submitting a vaccine card with obvious forgeries,” Donnelly said. “Manno doubled-down on the fraud by allegedly illegally obtaining a replacement card at the Northport VA Medical Center where she claimed to have been vaccinated, showing staff a digital fake as her proof.
“Submitting fraudulent documents is a crime, and in this case, one that put the health and safety of students and staff at risk.”
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