Former Concord NH Educator Reaches Plea Deal On Newton’s Fessenden School Rape Charges

CONCORD, NH — One of the most heinous aspects of a teacher-student rape case that consumed the Concord School District in 2019 could be coming to an end in July.

The attorney for Primo “Howie” Leung, 40, formerly of Concord, a former educator with SAU 8 who was accused of repeatedly raping a girl at an English Language Learners summer program at the Fessenden School in Newton, Massachusetts, and the Middlesex County District’s Office, appear to have reached a plea deal.

All parties are scheduled to be in Middlesex County Superior Court in Woburn, MA, for a change of plea hearing at 11:30 a.m. on July 19. Leung previously pleaded not guilty to the charges. No specifics about the deal were issued in court. But Patch has heard the deal was expected to be a light sentence despite two rape of a child-aggravated-10 year age difference and three incidents of assault and battery on a child under 14-aggravated charges, all felonies.

Fabiana McLeod, the victim, accompanied Leung to the summer program at Fessenden in 2015 and 2016 as a student helper for Leung, a teacher at the program. She was a Rundlett Middle School student and he was a teacher at the time. Her family is suing several parties and interests in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts.

A chance sighting, by Concord students, in December 2018, of what appeared to be an inappropriate interaction between Leung, a prior distinguished educator and special education teacher, and a different student, an 18-year-old, on East Side Drive near Interstate 393 led to upheaval for SAU 8 across four years — including investigations by the district, police in three states, and the state department of education, criminal charges in Massachusetts, Leung slicing his own throat in a suicide attempt before his arrest, Concord School District administrators being dismissed or not having their contracts renewed, financial settlements for two students, and a multi-million civil suit in U.S. District Court by one of the victims.

McLeod has already received a settlement from SAU 8, as has the student seen in the car with Leung.

The case, filed in April 2019, was scheduled for a jury trial in June 2020. But it has been continued and postponed about half a dozen times across many years due to the coronavirus pandemic, changes in attorneys in the district attorney’s office, and the amount of evidence and general nature of the case.

According to court filings, more evidence emerged concerning one of the victims being sexually assaulted in New Jersey during a Fessenden trip to New York, NY.

Neither Meaghan Kelley, a Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson, nor Ghazi Al-Marayati, Leung’s attorney, replied to phone calls and emails seeking comment about the plea deal.

Mark Rufo, an attorney for the McLeod family, also did not return an email.

Charges In Concord?

No charges have been filed against Leung in Concord.

The department has been waiting for the charges in Massachusetts to be resolved before filing charges in New Hampshire. It was also expected any charges against Leung in Concord would be misdemeanors.

However, evidence gathered during McLeod’s civil suit and mentioned in those court documents — specifically, that “Leung and McLeod became sexual in February 2015,” when she was under 16, could lead to felony charges, depending on what the sexual activities were.

Deputy Chief John Thomas of the Concord Police Department did not return an email seeking comment.

Merrimack County Attorney Paul Halvorsen offered no comment about any potential Leung charges in Concord, deferring to Concord police.

Police in Concord would need to file charges against Leung before Halvorsen’s office would choose to proceed.

Editor's note: Patch does not usually use the victims' names in stories unless they have been charged, too. In this case, the victim has already outed herself and released her name.

Prior Patch Coverage

Distinguished Educators for 2012

Concord Teacher Accused Of Raping Student In Newton, MA

NH Teacher Held Without Bail After Bay State Arraignment

How A Distinguished Concord Teacher Became A Student Rape Suspect

Students Saw Concord Teacher Kiss, Hug Another Student: Docs

Should The Concord School District Have Responded Faster To Case?

Concord School Board Opens New Investigation Into Leung Rape Case

Labrie's Former Counsel Not Hired To Probe Teacher Rape Case

Concord High School Principal Takes A Leave Of Absence

Concord School District Releases Leung Sexual Misconduct Report

Loose Ends Linger Throughout Concord School District Leung Report

Concord School Board To Revise 'Professional Expectations' Policy

Concord Superintendent Lashes Out At Media Coverage Of District

Online Petition Launched To Have Concord School Officials Removed

Concord School Board Holds Emergency Meeting Sunday With Counsel

Petition To Remove Officials From Concord Schools Cracks 2,000

Concord School Superintendent: Letter To Staff 'A Serious Error'

Concord School Board To Update Public About Investigation Tuesday

Parents, Students Vent About Issues With Concord School District

Concord Board Of Education Members Eyeing Investigative Report

Concord Superintendent Forsten, Principal Sica Placed On Leave

Concord Board Of Education Considering Personnel 'Next Steps'

Acting Concord School Superintendent Not Credentialed With NH DOE

Concord Police Chief Says He'd Like To See School Investigation

Credentialing Of Concord's Acting School Super Could Take Months

Second Concord School Employee Found Not To Be Credentialed

Concord School District To Conduct Full Staff Credentialing Audit

Mom Accuses Concord Teacher Of Trying To Groom Daughter In 2011

Parents To Concord School Board: Fire Assistant Superintendent

Leung Report Release Could Be Embarrassing, Humiliating: Attorney

Former Rundlett Assistant Principal Not Credentialed For 12 Years

Concord City Council Issues Statement About Leung Case, Schools

Concord School District Is Burning Through Its FY20 Legal Funding

Embattled Concord Principal Led Staff Remotely While On Leave

Concord High Principal Did Not Influence Investigation: Attorney

Education Department Revokes Accused Rapist's Teaching Credential

Update: Leadership Changes Coming To Concord School District

Embattled Concord School Super Terminated By Board Of Education

Concord Teacher-Student Rape Case Leads To Second SAU 8 Dismissal

One Concord School Board Member Ousted; One Incumbent Survives

School Board Clarifies 'Letter Of Reference' For Forsten, Sica

Concord School District Sued For Leung Investigation Documents

Interim Superintendent Stunned By Pain, Fear Of Concord Community

School District Files Motion To Dismiss Leung Rape Report Lawsuit

State Leaders Seek To Close Sexual Assault 'Howie Leung Loophole'

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Former Concord Principal Sica Surrenders Educator Credentials

Governor Closes 'Howie Leung Loophole,' Signs Other Assault Bills

NH Revokes Former Concord School Superintendent's Credentials

Concord High School Teacher-Student Rape Case Costs Close To $1M

Teacher From Amherst First To Face 'Howie Leung Loophole' Law Charges

Second Leung Victim Nets $1M From Concord School District Insurer

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