SHS cafe employee will not be returning
Published on August 17th, 2005
Though Police authorities and local officials have perpetuated the silence surrounding the specific allegations that triggered a FBI investigation into a Stoneham High School employee early last June, the employee will not be returning for the new school year - according to Stoneham Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Connelly.
According to Selectman Cosmo Ciccarello, who was particularly vocal about the lack of information provided about the purported FBI raid of the High School last June 9, he has still yet to hear anything concerning the nature of the investigation.
"Not a peep has been said to me," responded Ciccarello, when asked what he's heard. "Unofficially, I heard that it was the school's cafeteria director who was investigated and that he was fired."
Denying that the high school's Cafeteria Director Dennis Dockham was fired, School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly did confirm that the employee's contract was not renewed for the upcoming school year shortly after the FBI investigation.
Intimating that Dockham was indeed the high school employee being investigated by the FBI, Connelly declined to give details about the specific allegations or activities the cafeteria worker may have engaged in.
"I have no further information. The FBI agent that was on the case did tell me that he was involved in another matter during the summer. So maybe that's why I haven't heard from him," the Superintendent said.
"I did not renew his contract for the next year. So [Dockham] is no longer working for us," Connelly remarked, not providing the specific reasons for parting ways with the cafeteria director.
Searching at least one high school computer last June 9, the FBI was reportedly questioning a school employee in relation to suspicious online activity, according to multiple sources reached the week after the feds arrived.
The employee was then later placed on unpaid administrative leave by Connelly following the search and questioning.
According to FBI spokeswoman Gail Marcinkewicz, the law enforcement agency's Boston office has yet to make any arrests or indictments in relation to the June 9 investigation.
Declining to comment on the specifics of the high school search unless an arrest or indictment occurs, the special agent made it clear that her agency routinely follows a number of leads on suspects, many of which turn up to be unfounded.
"Nobody has been arrested or indicted. So there's nothing of public record to discuss," said Marcinkewicz in a recent phone-interview. "We receive many, many allegations. And our job is to look at the facts. So just because there's an investigation, it doesn't mean there was any wrong doing," the spokeswoman added.
According to Connelly, although he can't provide any information on the former employee's alleged wrongdoings, the FBI has concluded that no illegal activity occurred in the school itself.
"It in no way involved the schools or any of the school equipment. It just happened to involve a former school employee."
Subscribe and get Home Delivery of The Independent
Save 36% off the newstand price — that's like 18 FREE issues!