Man Posing as Harvard Grad Receives Suspended Sentence

A man arrested last week by Harvard Police for impersonating a Harvard graduate pleaded guilty Tuesday and received a two-year suspended sentence with the provision that he leave the Commonwealth and not return.

The man, who identified himself to police as William D. Street Jr., of Detroit, was arrested last Friday at the registrar's office where he attempted to obtain the transcript of an alumnus of the College and the Law School.

Police refused to release the name Street used when he requested the transcript, but Captain Jack W. Morse said yesterday that the alumnus was notified of Street's arrest and sentencing.

After the arrest, it was discovered that Street had used the alumnus's charge account number at the Coop to run up a $100 bill. But Morse said yesterday the Coop had recovered its property.

The events leading up to the arrest began about a month ago when Street, using the name of the alumnus, made appointments at the registrar's office and the Law School to pick up "his" transcripts. But the registrar's office became suspicious because Street did not sound like a student and notified police.

After contracting the alumnus and verifying that he had not requested his transcript, police waited for Street at the registrar's office. He was arrested and taken to Cambridge jail.

Street was sentenced in Cambridge District Court by judge Lawrence F Feloney.

Impersonating a Harvard student is a misdemeanor in Massachusetts. In a similar incident last April. Steven S. Grassidonio was placed on two-years probation for impersonating two Harvard graduate students.