Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The School Committee will vote Tuesday night to accept the retirement of its Career and Technical Center director -- who was investigated and put on administrative leave in early March for alleged financial irregularities and then cleared by the state police.

State police Capt. David Neill said the detectives did not uncover any criminal wrongdoings by Charles B. "Chip" Rocha Jr. during their investigation, which was completed last week.

"The allegations were unsubstantiated," Neill said.

The main accusation involved an automobile that was donated to the vocational school -- which is associated with the city's high school -- and repaired by the students. It was later sold on craigslist.com for $4,500, Neill said.

School officials were tipped off about the sale in late February. After a preliminary look into the matter, Supt. Mario Cirillo alerted authorities and placed Rocha on administrative paid leave. With the police present, Rocha was escorted out of the school building on March 4.

The School Committee voted to make the leave unpaid last month while the state police's financial crimes division continued its investigation. Rocha's retirement letter came shortly thereafter.

"He handled the money appropriately," Neill said.

Rocha was first hired by the School Department as a vocational teacher in September 1974. He left in 1987 to pursue another career and then returned to education as a director of a vocational school in Massachusetts.

He was selected to be East Providence's vocational school director in July 2002.

 Tags  East Providence Career and Technical Center

Comments

Wry said:

There goes another witch hunt destroying a career!

Link | May 12, 2009 7:04 PM
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