Police Arrest Imposter Seeking Harvard Records

Harvard Police yesterday afternoon arrested a man for impersonating a Harvard graduate in an effort to obtain an official transcript from the registrar's office.

The suspect subsequently identified himself to police as William D. Smart. Jr. of Detroit, but police have yet to verify this identification, captain Jack W Morse said yesterday. Morse refused to disclose the name Smart had given to the registrar when he requested the transcript.

According to Morse. Smart had made appointments at the Registrar's office and the Law School in another name about three weeks ago to get copies of "his" transcripts. But the Registrar's office became suspicious because Smart "didn't sound like a student" and notified police.

Two Harvard officers were waiting to interrogate Smart yesterday when he arrived for his scheduled appointment, bearing legitimate identification papers for a graduate of the College and the Law School.

"It is possible for a devious person to obtain other people's official documents, including birth certificate, "Morse added.

Smart also used the graduate's charge account number yesterday at the Coop, where he ran up a $100 tab.

Harvard Police have not notified the alumnusof the impersonator's scheme. Saul! L. Chafin, chief of Harvard police, said yesterday, Officials from the Registrar's office were unavailable for comment yesterday on whether they notified the alumnus.

Smart was booked late yesterday in Cambridge jail on separate charges of falsely presenting himself to the University for the purpose of obtaining official documents, and of theft from the Coop. Arraignment will probably take place Tuesday, Morse said.

Impersonating a college degree recipient is a misdemeanor in Massachusetts. Last April, Steven S. Grassidonio was sentenced to two years probation for impersonating two Harvard graduate students.

Grasszdonio used a Business School student's bursar's card to borrow books from Baker library and a Law School student's identification to apply to Harvard and six other law schools.

Police apprehended Grassidonio during an interview at the Law School admissions office. Earlier, another law school had alerted the Law School that a man had applied to it using the name, social security number and transcript of a third-year Harvard law student.

Harvard Law School officials then set up the interview that led to Grassidonio's arrest. When Grassidonio agreed to a police search of his home, the Business School library books were recovered.