NEWBURYPORT — A woman awaiting trial for allegedly harassing Georgetown’s police chief was taken into custody Monday morning after a Newburyport District Court judge ruled she violated conditions of her release.
Michele Velleman, 50, of Elm Street in Georgetown was arraigned in Haverhill District Court in June 2020 on four counts of threatening, witness intimidation, stalking, and making annoying phone calls. The case was transferred to Newburyport District Court to avoid a conflict of interest.
In February, she was released without bail but ordered to live with her mother and not to leave the home.
She was also ordered not to post on social media, not make any false statements in relation to the case, not call 911 except for a legitimate emergency, not to use computers, cell phones or landline phones or send electronic messages.
She must also remain drug and alcohol free with random screens, undergo a mental health examination with a court clinician, and abide by all restraining orders. In addition, Velleman must have no contact with any victims, witnesses or the Essex County prosecutor leading the case against her.
However, according to court documents, Velleman lied about the kind of medications she was prescribed and failed to complete a mental health evaluation. When police came to arrest her at her mother’s house on March 30, she was not home, another violation of her release.
Velleman is due back in court on May 4.
While also facing criminal charges, Velleman was served with a restraining order by Georgetown police Chief Donald Cudmore that orders her to not have contact with him.
Also in February, Velleman was arraigned on a new harassment order violation for contacting attorneys linked to Cudmore.
In April 2020, Cudmore alerted state police that Velleman had been allegedly harassing him and making threatening statements to him, his wife and family for more than 2½ years.
The alleged harassment began in response to Cudmore’s investigation of her claims that her ex-boyfriend, a Georgetown police detective at the time, was harassing and abusing her.
Cudmore stated that Velleman, using several different names, posted “thousands” of social media links on Facebook and three YouTube videos containing what he called “inaccurate information, lies and fabricated material concerning her disdain for me, my family and the Georgetown Police Department.”
Among the social media posts were claims that Cudmore “killed three squirrels” and posted them on the door of a selectman’s house and that the entire Police Department was covering up what she called the “chief’s criminal acts as they are criminals as well,” according to Cudmore’s report to state police.
To cover her tracks, Velleman used nine email domain names and sent so many emails to the department, a tactic Cudmore called “email bombing,” that this clogged the department’s email server. On April 3, 2020, alone, she sent 30 emails, according to Cudmore’s report.
“As a result of the above, my family has endured Velleman’s stalking, intimidating behavior, harassment and slander for almost three years now. She has used social media and sent email messages to many other police officers and public agencies to spread lies, misinformation and false allegations against me, my family and the police department I command,” Cudmore wrote.
Dave Rogers is a reporter with the Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.
