Lissa Lagasse (WCVB).
A Massachusetts teacher allegedly claimed she was awarded a Purple Heart — among the military’s most prestigious awards for wounded veterans — and earned advanced college degrees. She reportedly even had a service dog and a replica of that Purple Heart.
The problem? She had neither the military award nor the advanced degrees, cops say. In fact, she never even served in the military, according to prosecutors.
Lissa Lagasse, 57, is facing a slew of charges including stolen valor, identity fraud and reckless endangerment of a child, the Essex County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release.
Per local ABC affiliate WCVB, officials with the Haverhill School District homed in on Lagasse’s alleged farce earlier this year when her service dog bit a student. That led to an investigation during which Lagasse’s lies came to light, prosecutors said. She claimed the dog came from the Wounded Warrior project but the organization told detectives it never heard of her. There was also no record of her serving in the Marine Corps as she claimed, according to prosecutors.
The teacher also told the district she had a Pd.D. in child psychology — which netted her higher pay.
Also baloney, investigators say.
Haverhill school Superintendent Margaret Marotta told local Fox affiliate WFXT that the district hired Lagasse as a high school science teacher in September. Marotta said the district put her on leave in March when her claims started to not add up after the dog bite.
“At the time of hire, Ms. Lagasse held a valid teaching license, and standard reference checks were completed with her previous school districts, with no concerns reported,” Marotta said in a statement to the outlet. “As soon as red flags surfaced, the district acted swiftly and responsibly, prioritizing the safety and trust of our students, families, and staff. We have no further public comment due to the ongoing police investigation.”
The defendant’s brother-in-law did not exactly give her a ringing endorsement in an interview with WFXT, although he did say he was surprised by the allegations. He said she had a replica of a Purple Heart sitting on the kitchen table which cops confiscated during their investigation.
“Most of the family I would have to say really doesn’t trust her that much,” Michael Lagasse told the outlet. “I’m not sure if I trust her that much but she tries, she tries to makes things work, she works hard, she just has a way of doing things that most of us are not aware of.”
Lissa Lagasse also worked with school districts in Lowell and Worcester, prosecutors said. She was assigned a public defender. Her next court date is scheduled for July 28.
