May 18, 2005

Ex-Billerica priest cleared after criminal e-mail probe

BILLERICA (MA)
Lowell Sun

By MATT MURPHY, Sun Staff

BILLERICA -- No criminal charges will be filed against the Rev. Michael Randone, who was fired as chaplain of Central Catholic High School.

The Essex County district attorney's office found no reason to charge the former Billerica priest.

Randone, 36, was fired from his alma mater in March after he was accused of sending inappropriate online messages to students from a personal computer. The communication after school hours constituted a violation
of school policy, but there was also some question as to whether the messages were sexual in nature.

At the time he was fired, officials at the private school in Lawrence said Randone denied sending any inappropriate e-mail.

“The e-mails were investigated, but no charges will be filed,” Essex County District Attorney spokesman Steve O'Connell said. “There was nothing in those e-mails that rose to a criminal level.”

Posted by kshaw at May 18, 2005 11:00 AM