Schools, Police Decline Comment On Child Porn Suspect

BURLINGTON, MA -- In January, Burlington Police contacted Burlington Public Schools officials to tell them a man who had chaperoned an elementary school field trip for his son's class was under investigation for possession of child pornography. Some of the images found on the computer and digital devices of William Gates, 41, of Burlington, included photos of children taken on that field trip.

Police and school officials immediately put a no-trespass order for all school property on Gates, and the parents of the children in the photos were notified. But for many other parents, they didn't know about Gates's role as a school volunteer until Thursday, when the U.S. Attorney's office announced new charges against Gates in addition to charges brought by the Middlesex District Attorney's Office in March. Now those parents are taking to social media and asking why the school system and police waited more eight months to give parents details on the case.

Burlington Public Schools Superintendent Eric Conti referred comment to Burlington Police Chief Michael Kent. Conti sent a note to parents and staff Thursday after Burlington Patch forwarded him a copy of the press release from the U.S. Attorney's office, which was the first public disclosure that Gates had had contact with children in Burlington Public Schools.

Kent provided Patch with a copy of the press release issued by the Middlesex District Attorney's office when state charges were brought against Gates in March.

"A simple google search of the defendants name will show that the story was picked up by all the Boston TV stations, Globe, Herald, BCAT, Wicked Local etc. I would suggest you check back to that time period on the Facebook sites you are referencing and I’m sure it was the talk of the town," Kent said in an email to Patch Friday morning.

When asked specifically about the delay in notifying the parents, and the fact that the federal charges were the first time Gates's connection to the public school system were made public, Kent declined to comment. "As I said for further comment please contact the DA’s Office or US Attorney’s Office," he said in an email to Patch Friday morning.

"He was originally indicted in Middlesex County, so they’d be in a better position to assist you," Kristina Mastropasqua of the U.S Attorney's office said. The Middlesex County District Attorney's office to not respond to requests for comment sent on Friday.

In a post on a Facebook group for Burlington residents, school committee member Christine Monaco said the no-trespass order was issued January 9. She also confirmed that the school system had no knowledge of the U.S. Attorney's charges against Gates until it issued its press release on Thursday. When Town Meeting Member Adam Sensei asked her about the delay in notifying parents, Monaco also referred comment to the U.S. Attorney's office.

"Can't you get us an answer?" Sensei pressed. "I'm sure your family members have answers to the questions that everyone is interested in having answered, right?"

"I wish I could help people feel better but I have no information beyond my post," Monaco responded.

Gates, 41, a former civilian employee at Hanscom Air Force Base, is accused of possessing more than 3,000 computer files depicting child pornography, including a manual titled, "How to Practice Child Love."
The charges come on top of a March indictment by a Middlesex County grand jury. According to federal court documents, Australian authorities notified U.S. law enforcement officials last November after seeing a user traced to Burlington post photos on a website, including photos of a six-year-old boy on a school bus. During a December interview, Gates told federal investigators he had taken some of the photographs while chaperoning a field trip to the zoo with his son's elementary school.

Conti said Thursday Gates had also undergone the standard background check required for school volunteers before he was allowed to chaperone the field trip.

"While forensics are ongoing, at this time there is no evidence the local children mentioned from the field trip have been depicted in child pornography photos," Conti said in a note sent to parents and staff Thursday evening. "If such evidence arises, the families will be notified by the Burlington Police Department. The families of the children in the photos mentioned have all been contacted by the Burlington Police Department."

Gates was arraigned Thursday and held pending the outcome of a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday. The U.S. Attorney's office said people with questions, concerns, or information regarding the case should call 617-748-3274.

Gates was also a Cub Scout leader. Boy Scouts of America issued a statement when he was initially charged in March.

"This behavior is abhorrent and runs counter to everything for which the Boy Scouts of America stands," the statement said. "While these allegations appear unrelated to Scouting, upon learning of these reports we took immediate action to remove this individual and prohibit him from any future participation in our programs."

Authorities executed a search warrant in January and found more than 900 files on his computer and digital devices. That search led to the charges by the Middlesex District Attorney's office. Last week while conducting further forensic analysis, investigators found and additional 2,900 images, 70 videos and a document titled, "How to Practice Child Love," a how-to guide for adults that want to have sex with children.

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Patch file photo via Shutterstock.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).