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NANTUCKET MAN FACES CHILD PORN CHARGES

From the Oct. 21 Cape Cod Times The discovery of a digital camera left in a hotel room has led to the arrest of a longtime Nantucket resident on child pornography charges.

William Howe Constable, 53, left a digital camera at a Hyannis hotel room. The police declined to name the hotel.

Hotel staff contacted the Barnstable police Friday after the employee looked at the images on the camera in order to verify its owner, said Barnstable Detective Sgt. John Murphy.

The hotel employee was confronted with images of an adult man engaged in sex with what appeared to be teen, or even preteen adolescent girls, Murphy said. Police identified Constable, of C Street on Nantucket, as the camera owner.

Constable called the hotel to ask about his camera. And when he came to retrieve it at 2 p.m. Friday, the Barnstable police were waiting for him, Barnstable Sgt. Sean Sweeney said.

Constable was arrested on charges of possession of pornography, and held on $10,000 cash bail Friday night. Police subsequently searched his residence on Nantucket and found two computers, numerous CD-R discs and video-cassettes that are believed to contain child pornography, Murphy said.

IN A PICKLE ROB BENCHLEY/The Independent Elaine Pappageorge looked on as Nantucket New School seventh grader Kali Sherburne helped out at the Adult Community Day Center last Friday when teacher Matt Liddle brought some of his students to a pickle-making session. As part of a math project, the students calculated the proportions of ingredients needed to make 36 pints of bread and butter pickles. The Kirby cucumbers and onions for the recipe were donated by Island Fruit and Produce. The vinegar, brown sugar and spices were donated by Stop & Shop and Marine Home Center donated the jars.

The police have declined to disclose specifics about the contents of the photographs in the camera. But Murphy said based on interviews with employees at the hotel, the girls were young, obviously under 16. He would not comment on the identity of the man in the photographs.

Based on statements from the hotel employees and Constable himself, Constable is also suspected of traveling to Southeast Asia several times in recent years, Murphy said. During those visits, Constable allegedly videotaped himself having sex with adolescent girls, Murphy said. "To date, no local children have been identified," Murphy said. "However, the investigation is ongoing."

Police still have to search all the computer evidence, he said. Constable is single and has no children, Murphy said. Nantucket assessor records show that Constable purchased a cottage at 5 C Street in 1986. He is a longtime resident of the island, Murphy said.

Constable will be arraigned tomorrow on one charge of possession of child pornography, though more charges may follow after police review the contents of the camera and computers. The Boston office of the FBI has offered to assist. The Nantucket police and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Barnstable District Attorney's office are also involved, Murphy said.

HOUSING OFFICE TO MANAGE STAFF HOUSING

The Nantucket Housing Office (NHO) and the Nantucket Education Trust (NET) have initiated a tentative agrrement for NHO to manage the 12 units of staff housing owned by NET. The agreement is expected to allow NET to focus on public education issues - the core of their mission. NET sought out the NHO based on its background and to provide a professional level of service to tenants.

"We are excited about working with NET and finding new and creative ways of solving the housing crisis," said NHO Executive Director Aaron Marcavitch. "Supporting the school staff is a high priority within the community and the NHO

is proud to be able to help in that effort." I