From the Eagle Tribune;
Report says teacher admitted to child porn use
By James A. Kimble
jkimble@eagletribune.com
BRENTWOOD — A Timberlane Regional Middle School teacher indicted on charges of possessing child pornography admitted to federal agents he subscribed to Web sites that carried child and adult pornography, according to a report by a federal agent.
New details in the case against Scott Buatti, 43, of Newton became public yesterday, days after a judge ruled against a request by his defense lawyer to find the search of his home computer was illegal.
Attorney Mark Sisti declined to comment yesterday on the decision or any aspect of the case. He indicated the case is still headed to trial in February.
Buatti, who was put on paid administrative leave in April, is facing 10 felony counts of possession of child pornography. Before a grand jury indicted him, he was best known as a middle school physical education teacher and athletic coach in Timberlane for 19 years.
School Superintendent Richard La Salle and Athletic Director Angelo Fantasia could not be reached for comment yesterday on whether Buatti's job status has changed. He is still listed in the staff directory on the school's Web site.
What led federal agents to Buatti's doorstep in February 2008 was part of a two-year probe by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Federal agents were investigating a criminal organization that operated a commercial child pornography Web site known as the "Home Collection," Philip Bleezarde, an ICE senior special agent, wrote in his report.
Buatti was allegedly among 5,000 domestic subscribers to child pornography sites that ICE agents tracked down throughout the country. He was first pinpointed as a subscriber through his e-mail account and computer IP address, which is registered under his name and home address of 4 Wilders Road in Newton, according to Bleezarde's report.
"Buatti was identified as having paid $79.95 for access to one of the 'Home Collection' Web sites on Dec. 2, 2006," Bleezarde wrote.
On Feb. 25, 2008, Bleezarde and ICE Senior Special Agent Thomas Pugliese went to Buatti's Newton home to tell him they were aware a Web site containing child pornography had been accessed from his home computer.
Buatti invited the agents into his home, according to Bleezarde.
He told the agents that, "since purchasing this computer, approximately two years ago, he has used it to access both free and pay Web sites containing pornographic images of adults and of children, and he has saved still images and videos, including some depicting children, to the hard drive of his computer," Bleezarde wrote.
Buatti allegedly told the agents he could not remember the names of the Web sites he accessed to get the pornography, but gave them details about what they would find saved on his computer.
"Mr. Buatti estimates that his computer contains about a dozen images which might be considered child pornography, and that the youngest children depicted in these images are 8 or 9 years old," Bleezarde wrote.
Buatti ultimately declined a request by the agents to hand over his computer.
"(Buatti) stated he was afraid we would find something that he had downloaded by mistake that would get him into trouble," Bleezarde wrote.
That prompted police, who eventually took over the investigation, to seek a search warrant. After reviewing search warrants and affidavits by federal agents and local police, Superior Court Judge Tina Nadeau found law enforcement had valid reasons for wanting to search Buatti's home computer. The defense argued the warrants only gave the results of the investigation, not the process by which Buatti was tracked down. Assistant County Attorney Jerome Blanchard argued in court papers that the warrants and reports clearly outline events that led them to Buatti.
Atkinson Town Hall
The Norman Rockwellian picture of Atkinson
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Submitted for your approval. I have a complain that I would like to air out.
I was in the library the other day. I saw a older gentleman who was looking to check out a book. The library worker was a little rude to the gentleman. He had forgotten his library card and she refused to let him check out the book. Clearly his name was in the computer. She actually made him go home to retrieve the card before she would let him take the book out. I think that noone should have to be treated like this.
If he had ID or if the library person knew the person all they had to do was issue another card to them. Priorities in town do seem to be screwed up . Only in Atkinson can you pay through the nose for some ones misdeeds and then be sent to a merry go round that never does seem to stop unless one jumps off by leaving town to live elsewhere.
For what it is worth, it was made clear to us when we received our library cards that the only way the library would loan you a book was if you had your library card present when you were checking out the book and they could not make any exceptions to this rule (I think it might have to do with the computer system).
I bring my whole family to the library and I've found the librarians at the Kimball are very good and very nice.
I just found the website who writes about
many
home based business opportunity
If you want to know more here it is
home business opportunity
I inclination not agree on it. I over warm-hearted post. Specially the appellation attracted me to read the intact story.
Good post and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Thanks you on your information.
Post a Comment