School Superintendent Threatens Candidate For Chief Of Police: FBI

CHICOPEE, MA — The Superintendent of Chicopee schools was arrested Wednesday for making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation after sending threatening messages to a candidate for Chicopee Chief of Police, the U.S. District Attorney's Office said.

Lynn M. Clark, 51, of Belchertown, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of making false statements.

In December 2021, the City of Chicopee was in the process of hiring a new Chief of Police. On Dec. 3, a candidate for the position told police they were receiving threats in efforts to get them to withdraw their application.

According to the complaint, in Nov. 2021, after the same candidate submitted their application for the position, they told police they received numerous text messages from unknown numbers with threats to expose information that would cause the candidate "reputational harm."

The report shows that this threat caused the candidate to withdraw their application, and the city delayed its selection process.

Police say that approximately 99 threatening messages were sent from a fake phone number purchased through a mobile app. Once phone and internet records were revealed, police were able to track all the numbers back to Clark.

At first, police say Clark denied these allegations, casting suspicion onto others, claiming they were from city employees, colleagues, and even a member of her own family.

Clark later admitted to police that she did send the messages.

The charge of making false statements can provide a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge.

Clark is expected to appear in federal court in Springfield Wednesday afternoon.