From the region.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

COLUMN: From the region

Shrewsbury

Bail set at $2,500 in child porn case

SHREWSBURY - A 22-year-old Parker Road man was arraigned yesterday on charges of possession of child pornography and distribution of materials showing children in sexual acts.

Joseph A. Carvalho of 8 Parker Road was ordered to have no unsupervised contact with children except his siblings, no computer access and no access to any device that has access to the Internet. Westboro District Court Judge Vito Virzi set Mr. Carvalho's bail at $2,500 cash or $25,000 with surety. The case was continued to Dec. 22.

According to court records, state police detectives assigned to the Worcester district attorney's office were forwarded several tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children detailing the possession and dissemination of child pornography by an America Online user. Detectives were able to determine the user's Internet protocol address, which led to 8 Parker Road.

On Nov. 8, investigators with a warrant searched Mr. Carvalho's home. He allegedly confessed in an audio-recorded statement. Police confiscated his personal laptop computer, which allegedly contained child pornography.

Dudley

After car crash, driver in critical condition

DUDLEY - A Millbury woman involved in a two-car crash on Southbridge Road Wednesday afternoon was listed in critical condition yesterday, according to police.

Police said Heidi Doherty, 53, was driving a 2004 Ford Escort that collided with a 1992 Toyota Camry about 3:30 p.m., and was listed in critical condition last night at UMass Memorial Medical Center - University Campus in Worcester, police said.

The accident occurred near 71 Southbridge Road (Route 131). The driver of the Toyota, Joel Encarnacion, 37, of Rocky Hill, Conn., was taken to Harrington Hospital in Southbridge. Police said his injuries were not life-threatening.

Neither driver had passengers, and no other cars were involved, police said.

The collision forced the shutdown of the road for more than two hours. Police said no charges have been filed.

The accident is under investigation.

Westboro

Cell tower proponent takes town to court

WESTBORO - A Northboro realty company has filed a complaint against the Westboro Zoning Board of Appeals in an effort to add four cell towers to a field of six towers already on Brigham Street, near the center of town.

R&D Realty LLP of 373 Howard St., Northboro, filed the complaint Nov. 21 in Worcester Superior Court.

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