Council President Pam Laliberte-Lebeau charged with harassing former lover and his wife

FALL RIVER — Charges were filed on Thursday against City Council President Pam Laliberte-Lebeau in Fall River District Court for alleged harassing telephone calls to the wife of a former paramour and witness intimidation, according to Fall River District Court records.

Laliberte-Lebeau, 49, a real estate agent working for former City Council President Cliff Ponte’s real estate agency, did not respond to several requests for comment.

The City Council president is charged with criminal harassment, annoying telephone calls/electronic communications, misdemeanors and two counts of felony witness intimidation, .

Earlier this month, The Herald News reported that Westport police seized Laliberte-Lebeau's cell phone from her New Boston Road apartment after conducting a search warrant.

At the time, Westport police were investigating a complaint by a Westport couple who had been receiving “harassing and annoying” telephone calls “sending text, images and calling them,” according to a search warrant affidavit.

The couple had allegedly been getting calls from so-called “spoof” or “burner” telephone numbers.

Apps are available to allow a caller to hide their identity with anonymous numbers, not revealing the caller’s true telephone number.

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Westport police say she confessed

In a five-page police report that includes text messages allegedly sent between Laliberte-Lebeau and a fellow real estate agent, Westport police investigators indicate that once they were able to question her after they confiscated her cell phone, the City Council president admitted to sending messages to the wife of another man,

"During the interview, Ms. Laliberte-Lebeau confessed and admitted to the entirety of the incidents. "Ms. Laliberte-Lebeau advised she had downloaded the "Burner" phone app approximately around early May of this year. Ms. Laliberte-Lebeau stated she would then call and text (the alleged victim) at her number numerous times throughout the months," according to the police report. " ... this was due to having an affair with (the victim's husband) who she also had a business relationship with."

The interview with Westport investigators was conducted at police headquarters and was audio and video recorded.

Laliberte-Lebeau had also apparently been trying to elude Westport investigators several times at her New Boston Road apartment until she exited her apartment and  they served a search warrant, seizing her phone that was brought to the Seekonk Police Department where the data was downloaded and given to Westport police.

According to the police report, Laliberte-Lebeau began sending fake messages to the wife of the man she was having an affair with, after Laliberte-Lebeau learned he was sleeping with another real estate agent.

The couple had reportedly received at least nine calls from “burner” numbers between April 28 and July 10.

Laliberte-Lebeau's phone was inspected in a forensic investigation by the Seekonk Police Department, according to police, with reports that detail how Laliberte-Lebeau researched how to scuttle the discovery of internet data on a cell phone. The lab determined Laliberte-Lebeau had opened an account for a “burner” number-spoofing app on April 28.

“How long does it take for cops to trace a fake Facebook account, send a picture on a burner app on iPhone, judge issue warrant for 3rd party phone app or phone records,” texts read, according to the Westport police report.

In the report, police noted alleged searches for the victim’s personal information.

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Disturbing text messages exchanged

Included in the police report narrative authored by Westport detective Turner Ryan’s police report are text messages between Laliberte-Lebeau and fellow Keller-Williams real estate agent Fatima Pires that reference the alleged victims.

It’s unclear which of the women posted the text, but the police report included this, among numerous postings: “You keep REIGNING OVER THE CITY-LIFE IS GOOD, I can see the headline now, 'I just wanted to tell the wife, he wasn’t even that good', Wait I do have another thing that popped up on my calendar. Marriage to ruin at 10:45 …"

Other text messages reference male genitalia and at least two emojis representing knives next to the names "Tommys wife #1, "Nelson ...NEXT," "Cliff 3rd."

The messages also suggest planting evidence on an unknown person, to which one of the two women respond "My way is MORE EFFECTIVE, I feel your way is going to involve TRESPASSING! I didn't say there wasn't a potential for a couple of minor charges being slapped on us, I'm E-L-E-C-T-E-D!"

And this: "Why am I stalking a person i don't even want to respond to his stupid invite. Yes STALKING Ends NOW, It's unhealthy for us and HE SUCKS lol."

The police report notes “many more included in the full download.”

Westport police also allege that, during the investigation, Laliberte-Lebeau had contacted the man she’d had an affair with and told him she was also receiving harassing text messages, but investigators believe she sent them to herself using an anonymous burner phone app.

"In these conversations Ms. Laliberte-Lebeau pretends the suspect is not her and even offers to contact the chief of the Fall River Police Department to help trace the number or contact their computer crimes unit," according to the police report and referencing Police Chief Paul Gauvin.

On Friday, Gauvin in a text message responded to The Herald News inquiry that the City Council president never requested that he investigate what are likely text messages she sent to herself.

Before entering Fall River politics, Laliberte-Lebeau founded and was president of the St. Anne's Neighborhood Association. She was elected to the City Council in 2015. She was chosen as council vice president in 2018 and as president in January.

Elected officials react

The City Councilors that responded to request for comment and Mayor Paul Coogan all had similar reactions of surprise of the nature of the allegations against the City Council president. Some even suggesting that Laliberte-Lebeau step down.

"If the allegations are true, I think that she has some real soul searching to do," said Coogan. "She has to do what's best for her and the city."

City Councilor Shawn Cadime in a text message said he is empathetic to those who have been impacted by unfortunate set of circumstances.

"I am confident that myself and my fellow councilors will honor our commitment to the city. We will not allow circumstances or challenges to distract us from our forward progress."

City Councilor Joseph Camara was more blunt and said he didn't think that not only should Laliberte-Lebeau step down as City Council president, but also step away from her position on the City Council.

"I just hope everybody would do the right thing moving forward. Everybody, that would be my comment," said City Council Vice President Michelle Dionne. "The City Council is the legislative body and we have a job to do and I hope that we stay on track and everybody involved does the right thing."

If the allegations are true, said City Councilor Laura Washington, "it's very sad."

"I'm hoping she makes the right decisions for herself and for the community," said Washington. "She admitted to it at the police department and we can't tolerate bullying behavior and intimidation."

Washington was particularly concerned about the information that Laliberte-Lebeau had considered involving the Fall River police chief in the situation.

"According to the police report there may have been an abuse of power by using her authority to contact the chief of police to draw the attention away from herself," said Washington.

City Councilor Leo Pelletier, who acknowledged his own legal problems in the past with a conviction of running an illegal internet gaming cafe back in 2012, said with the reports he's heard, the allegations against the council president "are pretty bad."

"Given that she's admitted to it, that's a step in the right direction and it's not up to us to tell her to step down, but its just bad for everybody," said Pelletier.

City Council Brad Kilby noted that Laliberte-Lebeau was one of the councilors back when former mayor Jasiel Correia II was arrested by federal agents for fraud and extortion to lead the charge to try to force him out of office in court, which was unsuccessful.

"I'm about being consistent and, while they are different very different cases, she is facing felony charges," said Kilby. "There's a time where you have to put your political mission aside and you have to reflect, not what the best is for you and your family, but the people of Fall River."

A sad situation is how City Councilor Linda Pereira described the legal problems Laliberte-Lebeau is facing and made it clear what decision the council president should make.

"When you're elected, you're held to a higher standard. She needs to resign, focus on her family and resolve this criminal matter. That's what I think," said Pereira.

City Councilor Andrew Raposo did not respond to a request for comment.

Laliberte-Lebeau is expected to be arraigned on the charges on Sept. 13.

Jo C. Goode may be reached at jgoode@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism and subscribe to The Herald News today!

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Fall River City Council President Pam Laliberte-Lebeau faces charges