Phony autism therapist sent to jail for three years

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Phony autism therapist sent to jail for three years

NORWALK

By DANIELLE CAPALBO

A woman who faked her credentials to work with special needs children at costly

rates will serve at least three years in prison and pay tens of thousands of

dollars in restitution, according to a Stamford Superior Court judge.

Lore, 34, of Carmel, N.Y., was sentenced Thursday for charges in Weston

and Norwalk, where she used false pretenses to gain employment as a specialized

autism therapist.

Using markers, white out and tape to counterfeit documents, Lore misrepresented

herself to families and school districts as a board-certified behavior analyst

with advanced degrees. She only held a G.E.D.

As victims looked on, Judge Comerford accepted a recommendation by the

state's attorney to sentence Lore to eight years in jail suspended after three

years served, and five years probation. Lore's family was also present but

declined to comment.

" I'll accept the recommendation, but I'm concerned about this situation, "

Comerford said. " I'll tell you this -- if she blinks the wrong way. . .if she

blinks the wrong way when she's on probation, she doesn't want to be looking at

me. "

The ruling also prevents Lore from working with children and people with special

needs. Lore must undergo psychological treatment and abide by any prescription

regiment ordered by doctors, Comerford said.

Comerford issued his ruling after several parents stood before the court to

recount the damage Lore's fraudulent work had done to their children.

One after another, parents urged Comerford to consider the maximum penalty for

Lore's crime as well as ongoing psychiatric treatment.

" Lore intentionally victimized and capitalized on my child, " said

Graham, one of the parents who first raised suspicions about Lore's credentials.

" is a pathological liar who fooled countless parents, school

administrators and government officials. "

Another mother, Margaret Bustell, broke down in tears while addressing the

judge. At one point, she specifically addressed Lore, who briefly made eye

contact before looking away.

" We trusted you, " Bustell said. " We opened our hearts and our homes to you. "

She added: " These were real children with real problems who needed real

solutions. "

Lore also worked with autistic children in Bridgeport, Stamford and Region 15,

according to a joint investigation by the attorney general's office, local

police and the 14 Department of Education. Lore is alleged to have fraudulently

billed schools and families about $635,000, that investigation concluded.

Comerford ordered Lore to pay back at least $34,000 to the families whose

children she treated.

Lore's attorney, A. Pelletreau, accepted the sentence as " fair " and made

no justifications for the crime, citing a pre-sentencing investigation that

indicated an " uneventful " childhood with " hard-working, loving parents. "

He noted that Lore had been the victim of an abusive relationship with the

father of her infant daughter, but said that was " no excuse. "

" I don't know how she got to this point, " Pelletreau said. " What she did was

criminal. It was wrong, and she knows it. "

In turn, Comerford questioned, for the first of many times, whether Lore felt

any remorse for her crimes.

" I don't know if she does, " he said. " These people are going to live with this

for the rest of their lives. "