Home About Archives RSS Feed

North Adams Man Arraigned on Child Porn Charges

Staff Reports

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — David B. Harris of North Adams was arraigned on Wednesday in Berkshire Superior Court on single counts of possession of child pornography and dissemination of child pornography.

He had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf before Judge Daniel Ford. He was released on $2,500 bail.

The 66-year-old former headmaster was arrested July 18, 2010, after police executed a search warrant at his Marion Avenue home. Police say they found USB drives with pornographic materials and a laptop with links to pornographic sites involving young boys. He is alleged to have disseminated child pornography on Jan. 24, 2010, and to be in possession of the materials on July 18. 

State police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office had been conducting a two months-long investigation, with assistance from both the Massachusetts and New York Internet Crimes Against Children task forces, as well as state police with the Middlesex district attorney's office and with the New York attorney general's office.

The Middlesex and New York police were involved because Harris was head of school for the Cambridge Montessori School, a private school for children from preschool to ninth grade, in Cambridge until his arrest and a trustee of one New York private school and former headmaster of another. He spent a decade as headmaster at Pine Cobble School in Williamstown until leaving in 2000.
 

Tags: Harris, superior court, porn      

Mother of Slain N. Adams Man Get Probation

Staff Reports

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A North Adams woman pleaded guilty Friday morning in Berkshire Superior Court to several charges related to the circumstances regarding the killing of Daniel Walters two years ago.

Constance Pratt, 46, Walter's mother, pleaded guilty to single counts of attempt to commit a crime (larceny from a person) and furnishing misleading information to a police officer.

Pratt, also known as Constance Winnie, was placed on two years probation by Judge John A. Agostini on the condition that she remain drug and alcohol free and undergo testing to determine that as well as counseling during the probationary period.

On the night of Aug. 20, 2008, Pratt drove Walters to the home of Tina Senecal in the Wheel Estates Mobile Home Park so that Walters could steal cocaine from Ronnel Garmie, who was living there. During the attempted heist, Walters was stabbed and killed by Garmie. After the altercation, Pratt provided false information to police.

Garmie was not indicted in the slaying but his drug ring was broken up and a number of people were charged with various drug violations.

The investigation was conducted by state police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office who were aided by members of the North Adams Police Department.
 

Tags: Garmie, drugs, Superior Court      

Pittsfield Man Guilty of Assault

Tammy Daniels

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A Pittsfield man was found guilty Thursday afternoon in Berkshire Superior Court on several charges. The jury deliberated for about 15 hours over a three-day period before returning its verdict against 24-year-old Johnny B. Jones of Francis Avenue.
 
Jones, also known as John B. Jones, was found guilty on two counts of armed assault with intent to rob, two counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapons, two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and two counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon.

Judge John Agostini ordered that he be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction without bail pending sentencing on Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 9 a.m.  
 
The incident occurred in the Pittsfield State Forest on May 18, 2007. The victims are two men who are now 22 and 23 years of age.
 
Jones was found not guilty on two counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and one  count of assault with intent to murder.

The investigation was conducted by state police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office, which provided this information.

Tags: assault, superior court      
Page 1 of 1 1  

Support Local News

We show up at hurricanes, budget meetings, high school games, accidents, fires and community events. We show up at celebrations and tragedies and everything in between. We show up so our readers can learn about pivotal events that affect their communities and their lives.

How important is local news to you? You can support independent, unbiased journalism and help iBerkshires grow for as a little as the cost of a cup of coffee a week.

News Headlines
Scoil Rince Bréifne Ó Ruairc Participated in North American Open Championships
Pittsfield Police Participating in US 20 Speed Enforcement Project
MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC
Dalton ADA Committee Explores Expanding
Milne Public Library Trustees Announce New Library Director
Clark Art Presents Free Thematic Tour on Music in Art
BCC, Mill Town Partner to Support Philanthropy Through 40 Under Forty
SVMC' Wellness Connection: March 15
Pittsfield Community Meeting On Rest of the River Project
Slavic Easter Egg Decorating At Ventfort Hall

Police Logs

Pittsfield Police

North Adams

Crimewatch Links

North Adams CrimeWatch

Stamford/Clarksburg CrimeWatch

Pittsfield CrimeWatch

Emergency: 911
Adams 413-743-1212
Clarksburg 413-663-7795
Cheshire 413-743-1501
Dalton 413-684-0300
Great Barrington 413-528-0306
Lanesborough 413-443-4107
Lee 413-243-2100
Lenox 413-637-2346
North Adams 413-664-4944
Pittsfield 413-448-9700
Richmond 413-698-3315
Stockbridge 413-298-4179
Williamstown 413-458-5733
West Stockbridge 413-232-7938
State Police  
Cheshire Barracks
413-743-
4700
Lee Barracks 413-243-0600
Shaftsbury, Vt., Barracks 802-442-3263

 



Categories:
Adams (92)
Alford (0)
Becket (8)
Cheshire (23)
Clarksburg (41)
Dalton (6)
Egremont (2)
Florida (9)
Great Barrington (34)
Hancock (5)
Hinsdale (5)
Lanesborough (30)
Lee (14)
Lenox (11)
Monterey (0)
Mount Washington (1)
New Ashford (4)
New Marlborough (2)
North Adams (248)
Otis (2)
Peru (3)
Pittsfield (318)
Pownal (16)
Readsboro (17)
Richmond (10)
Sandisfield (5)
Savoy (6)
Sheffield (5)
Stamford (31)
State (1)
Stockbridge (6)
Tyringham (1)
Washington (1)
West Stockbridge (1)
Williamstown (79)
Windsor (3)
Archives:
Tags:
Mvi Robbery Hit & Run Break-ins Assaults Accident Buglaries Veremko Fraud Pedestrians Shooting Motorcycles Injuries Vehicle Motor Vehicle Accident Police Investigation Armed Robbery Missing Persons Structure Fire Fire Fatal Stabbing Burglary Murder Drug Charges Heroin Larceny Search Search & Rescue Rape Crime Watch Assault Homicide Drugs Motor Vehicle
Popular Entries:
Superior Court Briefs: March 14 - March 16
Fatal Accident Closes Route 8 in Adams
Superior Court Briefs: May 2 - May 6
Woman Pleads Guilty in Sandisfield Fatal Crash
Superior Court Briefs: March 28 - March 31
Pittsfield Woman Pleads Guilty in Husband's Slaying
Superior Court Briefs: May 18 - 19
Superior Court Briefs: March 8 - March 11
Superior Court Briefs: March 23 - March 24
New Ashford Crash Turns Fatal for Williamstown Man
Recent Entries:
State Police Bust $3M Illegal Pot Growing Operation in Savoy
First-Responders Searching for Lost Hiker on Mount Greylock
Pittsfield Driver Injured in Elm Street Accident
North Adams Police Investigate Possible Shooting Incident
Williamstown Police Looking into Cemetery Vandalism
Florida Woman Dies in Motorcycle Accident
Pittsfield Fire Responds to Kitchen Blaze
Juvenile Arrested in North Adams Shooting
North Adams Police Seeking Information on Shooting Incident
Pittsfield Police Seek Information on Sunday Night Shootings