suspect
A Eugene man impersonating a University psychology professor was arrested April 13 after a student discovered he lied to her about his position.
Checklin Jonathan Vaifale, 35, has been an active member of several campus clubs over the past two years under the guise of a student and a professor by the name of Jonathan Vaifalc-Valdez , according to Eugene police.
EPD Officer Dallas Hall said Vaifale “alleges it was strictly for social interaction and
to make himself
feel important.”
Hall arrested Vaifale between the EMU and Straub Hall while he was standing with his “props” — a briefcase and several files — in hand. Hall said Vaifale allegedly created a file labeled “Human Neuropsychology,” the name of the class he pretended to teach.
“He even had the class number written on it,” she said.
International Studies Association Coordinator Ryohei Ishii said he remembers working with Vaifale last year during International Week.
“He cooked in the kitchen for three days,” he said. Other members of the group also
noted that Vaifale had been an asset to
their organization.
University graduate Toby Hill-Meyer, a volunteer of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Alliance, said that Vaifale was an active community member and a member of the LGBTQA’s sub-group, Bi and Beyond, since fall 2003.
“He participated in discussions and was in the drag show,” Hill-Meyer said. “I know people he’s been in relationships with so I’m going to trust that most of what I know of his life to be true. That’s not the kind of thing you can fake.
“I feel awkward from my interaction, but I
value what he has brought to the community.”
Vaifale also allegedly danced with the Hawaii Club for several years, posing as a student, according to police.
Vaifale has allegedly been spending time around Straub Hall and using the computer lab there to bolster his image as a psychology professor.
According to the female student who turned him in, he told her he could get her a job in the psychology lab, but after not finding him in the directory and discovering that the other faculty members had never heard of him, she became suspicious and alerted the Department of Public Safety, Hall said.
“I heard he was a grad student last year and then from others this year that he was a professor, but last month I heard some people saying he had been less than truthful,”
Hill-Meyer said.
EPD spokeswoman Kerry Delf said Vaifale is being charged with Criminal Impersonation, a Class A misdemeanor, but the case is still under investigation. For this reason, Psychology Department Head Marjorie Taylor has been asked by police not to comment.
Taylor did say that she has
alerted psychology graduate students, faculty and staff. She is also following up to determine if such
an incident can be prevented in
the future.
Hall said impersonation becomes criminal when an impostor
pretends to be a public servant or
uses the character as a means to gain something.
Vaifale told police he is only a high school graduate and is currently an unemployed care worker, Hall said.
The EPD wants to know if Vaifale has done anything inappropriate while trying to pass as a member
of the University community. If anyone has any information, they should contact Hall at 346-2904
before 4 p.m.
