Alumnus arrested for fraud
Hanover Police arrested Corby Edward Page '92 Commencement weekend and charged him with fraud for allegedly duping parents into buying fake tickets to the ceremonies.
Police caught Page, a computer science major, with $525 and eight counterfeit passes at 9 School Street on June 11, the day before Commencement, Hanover Police Sgt. Frank Moran said yesterday.
Moran said Page sold 35 tickets at $15 a piece. Page will be arraigned on July 27 at 8:30 a.m. in Hanover District Court and will face a Class B misdemeanor.
A Class B misdemeanor is a criminal offense that can result in fines up to $1,200. There is no jail sentence, but the court may require a certain amount of community service.
This year's Commencement exercises were moved into Thompson Arena, which holds about 3,500 people, because of inclement weather. Each family was given two passes to Thompson.
College Spokesman Alex Huppe said Thompson was filled to capacity and other family members had to watch the exercise at other areas on campus linked by satellite hookup.
Because weather forecasts predicted bad weather several days before the ceremonies, there was an opportunity for Page to capitalize on families' demand and make a quick buck.
"It's an act of opportunism," Huppe said.
Page did not return phone calls to his listed phone number in Houston, Texas yesterday.
Moran said the College contacted Hanover Police after a recent graduate told Safety and Security about the potential scam.
Moran said the graduate had one set of tickets given to him by the College and another set which he bought from Page, and the two were not identical.
The police arranged a "set up" but Page "fled the area prior to contact," a police spokesman said.
After tracing him to the School-Street address, the officers made the arrest.
