Pittsfield, MA- On Wednesday September 9th, 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 August 23rd, 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 September 8th, 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 October 8th.