SALEM, Mass. — A former Salem city worker is being described by prosecutors as “an uncontrollable danger” to young girls after he was arrested for allegedly creating and sharing child pornography.
Boston 25 News has exclusively obtained hundreds of text messages between the man and another alleged predator in New Hampshire.
Investigators say 39-year-old David Holland, a former recycling enforcement officer, wiped his cell phone of the disturbing and incriminating evidence, but prosecutors say it was preserved on the phone of the man he had been swapping photos and ideas with. It was that man's wife who brought this to the attention of authorities.
The alleged on-going text message conversation between Holland and a man in Nashua, New Hampshire includes nearly 600 messages, most of them are unfit for publication.
One exchange between the men reportedly goes as follows:
- NH suspect: "My wife works weekends so I'm alone with the kids."
- Holland: "I could prob escape for a weekend day or two to come hang and devise a plan. Kid gravitate to me for some reason."
Prosecutors say the two men had been trading images of young girls they knew through family and friends. They also discussed targeting children in public.
In one message, the New Hampshire man reportedly texted, “We should come up with a plan and see what we can make happen maybe meet at a park.” Holland replied “I could do that. Teamwork makes the dream work.”
Prosecutors allege Holland later said, “Might find a lonely girl playing down there that we could talk to also.” The New Hampshire man responded, “I live right across the street from a park lol can see it threw my window.”
Police in Nashua say the suspect in their jurisdiction has been arrested, but investigators say they are holding off on releasing details because they are still working on several more arrests on what could be a ring of child predators.
A spokesperson in Salem said the mayor is deeply shocked and disgusted by the charges against Holland, who had passed a background check. The spokesperson also said Holland was placed on unpaid leave as soon as the city found out about this and he has since been officially.
When Boston 25 News reporter Drew Karedes knocked on the door of the Rawlins Street address listed for Holland the woman who answered wouldn’t comment or answer questions.
Holland is being held without bail.
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