Westchester police chief arraigned on child porn charges

MOUNT PLEASANT (WABC) -- A former police chief now a defendant Brian Fanelli arrived at the Federal Courthouse Monday afternoon in White Plains with his wife, his sister and his attorney by his side.

The disgraced ex-chief of the Mount Pleasant Police Department said nothing as he walked in to plead not guilty to a charge of possessing child pornography on his home computers in Mahopac, a disturbing charge that people in the Westchester town find hard to believe.

Having children it scares me that somebody who is in charge of keeping our community safe could do things like that," said Susan Martinez.

Federal agents arrested the 54-year-old back in January. Investigators found more than 120 files containing child pornography pictures and videos on three computers seized from his Putnam County home.

Fanelli admitted to investigators that he initially viewed the pornography as research for the sexual abuse awareness classes he taught to elementary and middle school students. But he acknowledged that his research ultimately became his personal interest.

People in Mount Pleasant say they can't wait to put this ugly chapter of town history behind them.

"It's sad, it really is. But I wish his family and everybody else, i hope it just passes by and hope everybody moves on really," said Joe Marra.