Lenox Man Arraigned and Held on Child Pornography Related Charges

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Updated on Sept. 10, 2026 at 10:00 am —On Wednesday, Sept. 9, Keith Harrison was arraigned in Central Berkshire District Court on four charges: two counts of Possession of Child Pornography; one count of Attempting to Commit a Crime, to wit, Indecent Assault and Battery on a Child Under 14;  and one count of Dissemination of Child Pornography. The Defendant entered a plea of not guilty.  

The Commonwealth requested the Defendant be held on $100,000 cash bail. Defense requested the Defendant be released on personal recognizance with conditions. The Judge ordered the Defendant to be held on $75,000 bail. If bail is posted the conditions of release include GPS with zero curfew; no contact direct/indirect with children under 18; possess no electronic devices with internet capability; and allow probation to search all electronic devices.

Harrison, a former teacher at Holyoke Public Schools and Pittsfield Public Schools, is a current employee of Chicopee Public Schools. On Aug. 23, the FBI National Threat Center received information regarding communications the Defendant was having with an undercover individual he believed to be a 13-year-old female. On an online chat platform, Discord, he engaged the agent in a chat and identified himself as an adult. On the chat, the Defendant made explicit sexual requests of the undercover agent.

On Sept. 8, the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit conducted a search warrant of the Defendant's residence at 52 Hubbard Street, Lenox. The search led to the recovery of multiple items which included hundreds of Child Sexual Assault Material (CSAM). The investigation into the items seized during the search warrant is ongoing. Additional charges may come following the conclusion of the investigation.

A pretrial hearing date has been set for Oct. 8.


LENOX, Mass. — A 46-year-old Lenox man faces multiple child exploitation charges and is being held on $25,000 cash bail following a Tuesday morning raid at his home by the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit.

On Sept, 8, the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit (SPDU) conducted a residential search warrant for Keith Harrison's home, 52 Hubbard Street, Lenox. The search was conducted after the SPDU received a tip from a partner law enforcement agency regarding the Defendant's communications in which he attempted to entice an undercover agent, whom he believed to be under the age of 14, to engage in sexual acts, stated a press release.

When the SPDU executed the warrant, they recovered evidence of child sexual assault material (CSAM).

The Defendant is being charged with two counts of Possession of Child Pornography; one count of Attempting to Commit a Crime, to wit, Indecent Assault and Battery on a Child Under 14;  and one count of Dissemination of Child Pornography. More charges could be brought forward after the investigation is completed.

He will be arraigned on Wednesday, Sept. 9, in Central Berkshire District Court. The arraignment should take place during the morning session.

 


Tags: arraignment,   child abuse,   

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Pennrose Breaks Ground in Lenox, Bringing 68 Units of Affordable Housing

Staff Reports

LENOX, Mass. — Pennrose announced the groundbreaking of 238 Pittsfield Road, a 68-unit affordable rental community.

The development will bring much-needed affordable, family-friendly housing options to the area.

The community will consist of 10 residential buildings offering a mix of 23 one-bedroom, 38 two-bedroom, and seven three-bedroom apartments. Of the 68 total homes, 57 will be affordable for households earning from 30 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) up to 80 percent AMI, with the remaining 11 units available at market rate rents.

A community building at the entrance of the development will offer resident-focused amenities, including event space and a fitness center, along with on-site offices for Pennrose management and resident services staff.

"238 Pittsfield Road builds on the progress that the Town of Lenox has made in addressing the region's pressing needs for affordable, family-sized rental housing," said Karmen Cheung, Regional Vice President at Pennrose. "This partnership with the Town of Lenox continues to deliver communities that give families of all sizes a place to call home. Together with Forge, these two communities reflect our long-term commitment to meeting the diverse housing needs of Berkshire families."

Currently only 7 percent of Lenox's housing stock is deed-restricted affordable, falling short of the 10 percent goal established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Additionally, approximately 90 percent of the town's existing affordable housing is limited to seniors, and market-rate rental options remain sparse.

238 Pittsfield Road is located a mile down the road from Forge,  a mixed-income community that celebrated its grand opening in August. Together, the two sister developments will add a total of 133 new affordable units to the town.

The project continues Pennrose's collaboration with the Town of Lenox and is guided by the goals of the Town's 2017 Housing Production Plan, 2021 Master Plan, and 2002 Gateway Redevelopment Plan.

The project is financed via federal 4 percent tax credit and state tax credit allocations from the Commonwealth's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), with the National Equity Fund as the syndicator and Rockland Trust and US Bank as the investors. Rockland also provided construction debt, and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) provided both permanent debt and Workforce Housing Funds. MassDevelopment is the bond issuer, and EOHLC provided additional soft sources and operating subsidy. Finally, the Town of Lenox provided local Affordable Housing Trust and Community Preservation Act funds, as well as funds through the Commonwealth's HousingWorks Infrastructure Program (HWIP).

Haynes Construction is serving as general contractor and The Architectural Team as architect for the development.

Construction is underway and is expected to be completed in early 2028.

 

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