WESTFIELD – A city man was arrested on charges of taking and distributing child pornography, which appears to be part of an ongoing investigation regarding a child porn ring in Westfield.
Alan D. White, 48, was arrested shortly before 11 a.m. Thursday morning on a warrant and charged with two counts of photographing an unsuspecting nude person, reckless endangerment of a child and two counts of disseminating photographs of an unsuspecting nude person.
White was arraigned in Westfield District Court Friday and held on $50,000 cash surety.
On July 9, Westfield police executed a search warrant at 919 Southampton Road, apartment J2, as part of an ongoing multi-jurisdictional investigation of child pornography, according to Det. Roxann Bradley’s statement of facts.
During the execution of the search warrant, White waived his Miranda rights, spoke to police and admitted to taking secret photographs of a partially nude child twice between February 2012 and February 2015, according to Bradley.
Additionally, White admitted to giving these photographs to
an individual, known to the Commonwealth, in exchange for sex, Bradley wrote.
These photographs were originally discovered by law enforcement in the possession of the individual to which White had disseminated them.
White and this individual also exchanged text messages discussing the victim.
White took pictures and gave them to an individual, “knowing this person has strong sexual desires for children,” Bradley wrote. “His behavior was a gross departure of what a reasonable person would do.”
Eric Jenney, 45, of Westfield was arraigned June 26 on charges of three counts of possession of child pornography, and while police aren’t confirming nor denying whether these cases are linked, there appears to be a strong connection.
Westfield Police had executed a search warrant on Jenney’s home on June 25 as part of an ongoing investigation and found images of child pornography on Jenney’s personal computer, a Sony camera’s scan disc card and on a thumb drive.
The pornography charges include videos of sex with children under 10 containing what police believe to be a very explicit situation involving Jenney with a minor child, according to court records.
At an August 7 pretrial hearing Jenney’s attorney, Jared Olanoff, said the district attorney’s office is deciding whether to move the case to Hampden County Superior Court.
Jenney, who was released June 29 on $5,000 personal surety, is due back in Westfield District Court on October 30.
Police did not arrest White at the time they executed the search warrant but later requested a warrant for his arrest since he has no known address.
Westfield Police Capt. Michael McCabe said there are various reasons law enforcement may not arrest a suspect on the spot even if there is probable cause, including that the charges are part of an ongoing investigation.
White is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on September 29.
Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at [email protected]
