Superintendent for Chicopee Public Schools indicted by federal grand jury

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - We’re following breaking news. The U.S. Attorney’s Office just announcing that Chicopee Public Schools Superintendent, Lynn Clark has been indicted by a federal grand jury for “making false statements” in connection to sending nearly 100 threatening messages to a Chicopee Police Chief candidate.

We’re told she was indicted today for 2 counts of making false statements.

Earlier this month the FBI arrested Clark on complaints of making false statements regarding 99 threatening text messages.

Clark has been on paid administrative leave since the day she was arrested. She was taken into custody on April 6th at her home in Belchertown.

[READ MORE: Chicopee school superintendent faces judge on charge of lying to the FBI ]

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging documents state that on Dec. 3, 2021, law enforcement received a report that a candidate for the Chicopee Police Chief position was receiving threats intended to force the victim to withdraw their application for Chicopee Police Chief.

Then in November 2021, after submitting their application for Police Chief, we’re told the victim allegedly received numerous text messages from unknown numbers containing threats to expose information that would cause the victim reputational harm.

As a result, the victim withdrew their application.

“According to the charging documents, on or about Dec. 6, 2021, Clark falsely stated to federal agents that she received threatening text messages from unknown phone numbers, when, in fact she sent the messages to herself. On or about Feb. 7, 2022, it is alleged that Clark again falsely stated that she did not know who sent the messages in addition to denying that she had downloaded a mobile app with which she purchased the fictitious phone numbers to send the messages. It is further alleged that Clark later admitted that she did indeed send the messages and downloaded the app,” the U.S Attorney’s Office stated in a release to Western Mass News Thursday.

With the indictment, Clark now faces up to 5 years in prison for each false statement, as well as a fine of up to $10,000.

Western Mass News is continuing to follow this breaking news story. Stay with us online and on-air for the the most up-to-date information.

Copyright 2022. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.