Rhode Island high school staff solicits ‘donations’ to pay cartel ‘coyote’ who brought student to U.S.

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According to leaked emails confirmed by local school officials, an assistant principle at a Rhode Island high school solicited "donations" from school staff members to pay off a cartel coyote who brought one of its students to the U.S.

Screenshots of the email shared to Twitter, Friday, revealed that Mount Pleasant High School Assistant Principal Stefani Harvey asked school staff to help an unnamed student meet his goal of raising $5000 to pay off the cartel member that brought him across the border into the U.S. 

Harvey claimed the student was only $2000 short of his goal and needed support.

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SAN LUIS, ARIZONA - MAY 23: Immigrants wait for soup donated by the Yuma County Abolition group after crossing the border from Mexico on May 23, 2022 in San Luis, Arizona. Some said they had been stranded behind the barrier and waiting for over 24 hours to be processed by U.S. Border Patrol. Title 42, the controversial pandemic-era border policy enacted by former President Trump, which cites COVID-19 as the reason to rapidly expel asylum seekers at the U.S. border, was set to officially expire on May 23rd. A federal judge in Louisiana delivered a ruling May 20th blocking the Biden administration from lifting Title 42.  (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The assistant principal’s note, which appeared to be sent to the entire faculty and staff of the high school, stated, "We have a student who came to America with ‘Coyote,’ which is a group that helps people. This group gives you a time frame to make a payment of $5000 dollars to those, who bring them to the state."

The subsequent segment of Harvey’s email read, "Our student needs our urgent support to raise another $2000 to meet his goal of $5000 by February 1st, 2023." The text’s font was in bold and highlighted, relaying urgency to staffers to pay off the human smuggler.

Harvey concluded her note with the request that donations be made by Friday, January 27. It said, "Please consider helping if you can by donating on Friday. Melanea will be around to collect money between 8:00-8:45am."

The assistant principal’s signature could be seen clearly in the Twitter screenshots. It included her name, title and pronouns – "she/her/hers."

An image of an email allegedly sent to Mount Pleasant High School staff by Principal Tiffany Delaney was shared to Twitter as well. In the memo, Delaney said, "I was informed there was an email seeking financial support for one of our students. I appreciate the faculty and staff contributing to a cause that supports a student, but the nature of the request is not appropriate."

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Delaney added, "All funds contributed will be returned and we will seek more appropriate methods to support out students."

Fox News Digital reached out to staff at Mount Pleasant High School staff and Providence Public School officials to confirm the veracity of the emails. Providence Public School District Chief Communications Officer Nick Domings provided the outlet with a statement. 

Domings claimed, "I can confirm that the email in question was sent to staff at Mount Pleasant High School. The school’s principal immediately took steps to have a retraction issued when she learned of the email. The Providence Public School District is now investigating. We will not be commenting further on ongoing personnel matters to ensure the proper processes can take place."

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During an interview with local radio host Matt Allen on the "Matt Allen Radio show," Providence Teachers’ Union President Maribeth Calabro confirmed the existence of the emails as well. She told the host that she first heard about the email from an inquiry Allen left on her voicemail. She then sought confirmation from Mount Pleasant High School staff, which she received. 

Calabro explained, "You informed me through your voicemail and then I reached out to folks at the school, and they confirmed that it was in fact an email sent by the assistant principal. And I also heard since then that the principal of the building has weighed in and retracted the email and said that any moneys that were taken or whatever would be returned."

People wait outside a house, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in southeast Houston. A house overflowing with more than 100 people presumed to be in the United States illegally was uncovered just outside Houston on Wednesday, a police spokesman said. The suspected stash house was found during a search for a 24-year-old woman and her two children that were reported missing by relatives Tuesday after a man failed to meet them, said a spokesman for the Houston Police Department. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Cody Duty) (AP Photo)