A highway department worker previously praised for containing a fire last year behind a Lake Street home and another earlier suspended after a domestic incident, have been formally identified as two of the men arrested as a result of a drug investigation.
Department of Public Works employees Steven Allen and Erik Frasca were arrested by Haverhill Police at 8, this morning. A third person, former city worker Kevin Moriarty, was also arrested in the case which resulted from of an anonymous tip. Allen is employed as a laborer and Frasca is a mason/craftsman.
“We do not, and will not, tolerate this type of behavior from our employees,” Mayor James J. Fiorentini said. “We expect all of our employees to have the highest standard of conduct. This is particularly the case with city employees who have to operate heavy equipment.” The mayor thanked Haverhill Police officers for their quick action.
Allen was fired immediately and the other suspended, Fiorentini earlier told WHAV. All three people are at Haverhill District Court, sitting in Newburyport, at news time.
A year ago last March, Allen and another city worker spotted a fire near the base of a swimming pool that was spreading to the deck of the Lake Street home, DPW Director Michael K. Stankovich told WHAV at the time.
Frasca, a 19-year highway department employee living in Bradford, was placed on paid administrative leave following his October 2017 arrest for allegedly assaulting his wife. At the time, Haverhill District Court Judge Patricia Dowling issued Frasca a 90-day warning with a threat of possible time behind bars if another crime was committed.