Primo 'Howie' Leung Receives 6 Years In Prison On Massachusetts Child Rape Charges

WOBURN, MA — A former Concord High School teacher pleaded guilty to several child rape charges on Wednesday after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors in the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office.

Primo “Howie” Leung, 40, changed his plea to guilty to six felony counts — two charges of aggravated rape of a child with a 10-year age difference; two counts of aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child under 14; and two counts of aggravated indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older. The district attorney’s office agreed to 6 to 7 years in prison on two counts, served concurrently, and three years probation on the other four counts.

Several proposed conditions of probation after the sentence was served were implemented as part of the case. According to Thomas Brant, an assistant district attorney, those included sex offender registration, complying with all state requirements, staying away from the victim and the victim’s family, not applying for or renewing teacher or coaching licenses or authorizations, no working or volunteering with children under the age of 16, no unsupervised contact with children under 16, having a GPS locator while released on probation, to include all the victim's addresses, like home, school, and work, as well as Concord School District property. Leung must also undergo sex offender treatment.

Ghazi Al-Marayati, Leung’s attorney, said an agreement was made to allow Leung to visit his minor children.

When the judge asked why a plea deal had been reached, the prosecutor said the department had examined the case very closely, and it was in everyone’s interest to resolve it. He said officials were looking for, “at this point,” to not “further secondary trauma” by requiring the victim to testify and be cross-examined.

“I suggest, while it is a slight drop down from the 10-year mandatory minimum, (it) takes into account the impact this has had and the seriousness of the case,” the prosecutor said.

Brant read a victim impact statement from the victim’s mother. The mother’s letter said her daughter’s innocence was stolen by Leung's sexual abuse that began when she was 13. The letter said she suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome now as an adult. She said she hoped the family could move on from the abuse.

While holding back tears, the victim's father said the family had been working hard for her to heal after the horrific events that occurred when his daughter was a child. He said he hoped this would bring closure to his daughter.

“I’ve never been more proud of her than I’ve been today,” he said. “Fabiana is the strongest person I have ever met.”

Fabiana McLeod, the victim, gave a statement. She said it had been more than seven years since the sexual assaults began to occur. She said she had not been able to forget the assaults even though she had been in extensive therapy. Fabiana McLeod said so many people failed her through the process, but she would continue to work to help others in the future.

“He didn’t just take my innocence from me; he forced his depravity on me,” she said. “He took everything from me.”

Leung then changed his plea to guilty to the charges.

Brant said Leung began advances toward McLeod when she was 13 and a student at the Rundlett Middle School. While she was not one of his students, he began kissing her and forcing her to fondle him. While in the seventh grade, he invited her to attend the summer camp for English Language Learners at the Fessenden School, where Leung once attended and ran the summer program, as a volunteer helper. He recounted numerous sexual assaults as well as physical and digital rapes that occurred while at the camp for two summers when the victim was 13 and 14.

Leung also bought the victim shoes, jewelry, and a laptop, but she began distancing herself from him in the ninth grade.

After outlining some of the crimes committed by Leung, including allegations in New Hampshire, Al-Marayati requested the judge to remove any mention of crimes committed in Concord.

After some back and forth, including a response from the prosecutor, the judge rephrased her statement, asking Leung if he was admitting to the crimes he committed in the Bay State. Leung then said, “Yes.”

Before sentencing, the assistant district attorney said there were compelling reasons to resolve the case now. Leung, Brant said, “deserves a serious state prison sentence,” and the agreement, “I think it takes into account our compelling reasons to resolve the case now.” He thanked Concord NH police and Newton MA police for the “multi-jurisdictional investigation in two separate states.” The prosecutor also called Fabiana McLeod “a strong person.”

Al-Marayati called Leung “educated and intelligent” while under supervision, complied with all the rules, and presented as “a suitable candidate for success on probation and treatment, on the other end of this, with a low risk of recidivism.”

The judge then sentenced Leung to 6 to 7 years in prison with probation on the other four counts. He will also receive credit for prior days served in prison, around 120 days, according to the court.

Concord NH Patch will update this post with more information.

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'
Amherst School Superintendent Silent On Forsten Curriculum Job
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

Former Concord NH Teacher Reaches Plea Deal On Newton MA Rape Charges

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