A Haverhill teacher was arrested last week, accused of fabricating her credentials — including academic degrees and military honors — to land posts in three Massachusetts school districts, prosecutors said.
Lissa Lagasse, 57, of Lowell, allegedly forged advanced-degree transcripts, a combat veteran record, and a Purple Heart award to secure teaching positions in Lowell, Worcester, and Haverhill, Essex District Attorney Paul F. Tucker’s office said in a statement.
The superintendents of Haverhill and Lowell Public Schools, didn’t immediately respond to the Globe’s request for comment. Daniel O’Brien, a spokesperson for Worcester Public Schools, confirmed in an email Saturday that Lagasse was employed there for the 2023-2024 school year.
Lagasse was indicted by an Essex grand jury on 21 charges, including three counts of falsifying academic degrees, two counts of stolen valor, identity fraud, three counts of procurement fraud, and six counts of uttering (using) forged documents, the statement said.
Additional counts allege four incidents of larceny, child endangerment, and witness intimidation, according to the statement.
Michael Keefe-Feldman, a spokesperson for Tucker’s office, declined last week to provide further details.
Lagasse’s attorney, Addison R. Gamliel, said in a separate statement that “My client is presumed innocent and she maintains her innocence.”
“The Commonwealth has made their allegations. Now, it’s time to start our investigation,” Gamliel said. “Because it is early in the process, we will refrain from commenting any further other than what is said in court.”
Lagasse pleaded not guilty last week in Salem Superior Court and was held on $25,000 bail. If she posts bail, she must remain at home with a GPS monitoring device, according to Tucker’s office.
Her next court date is set for July 28.
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