Current Court Report - December 5, 2023

It was a busy week in Nantucket District Court and this week’s Current Court Report includes arraignments and dispositions from Monday’s court session. An island man had his district court case dismissed after being indicted in Nantucket Superior Court, a New Hampshire man with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced to one year in the Barnstable House of Corrections after an attempted break-in into a food trailer, and two former bouncers at the Muse were arraigned on assault & battery charges stemming from a summertime bar fight outside the building in July.

Mark V. Hamilton, 24, of Nantucket had charges of rape of a child with force (six counts), indecent assault & battery on a person 14 or over (three counts), strangulation/suffocation (three counts), intimidating a witness, and lascivious pose/exhibit a child in nude nolle prossed (dropped in District Court) after Hamilton was indicted in Nantucket Superior Court, where he faces eight charges. You can read the full story here.

Kenneth R. Rawson, 38, of Milton, New Hampshire pleaded guilty to July 19 charges of breaking and entering a vehicle/boat in the nighttime for a felony, vandalizing property, assault & battery on a police officer, and assault & battery on ambulance personnel. He was sentenced to serve one year in the Barnstable House of Corrections but will get credit for time served for days spent in the house during the pretrial process.

According to the police report, Rawson attempting to break into a food trailer on Surfside Road with a long shovel, shattered a $1,000 window, and assaulted a police officer and EMT. After police conducted a search into his background, it was revealed that Rawson has an extensive criminal history out of New Hampshire including robbery, criminal trespass, shoplifting, criminal mischief, burglary, receiving stolen property, assault and several drug possession/distribution charges.

Rawson had a disorderly conduct charge stemming from the same incident dismissed.

Arling Antonio Aguilar Duarte, 21, of Nantucket had a July 21, 2022 charge of assault & battery on a family/household member dismissed after the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office declined to move forward with the case due to lack of cooperation from the alleged victim.

Mitchell W. Beede, 64, of Nantucket had a Nov. 30, 2022 charge of assault & battery on a family/household member dismissed after the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office declined to move forward with the case due to lack of cooperation from the alleged victim.

Cassandra Marie Bustos, 34, of Nantucket was arraigned on a Oct. 19 charge of assault & battery on a family/household member. She had a not-guilty plea entered on her behalf and was ordered to return to court Feb. 9 for a bench trial.

After being continued without a finding for one year, Kelsey Claflin, 27, of Florida had an Aug. 11, 2021 charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol dismissed.

Skylar Jorgensen, 24, of Nantucket was arraigned on a Sept. 28 charge of reckless operation of a motor vehicle. He had a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf and will have the charge continued without a finding for three months.

Michael Kelly, 58, of Nantucket was arraigned on July 9 charges of assault & battery with a dangerous weapon (two counts) and assault & battery. He had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf and was ordered to return to court Feb. 9 for a pretrial hearing.

Rudolph Thompson, 52, of Nantucket was arraigned on a July 9 charge of assault & battery. He had a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf and was ordered to return to court Feb. 9 for a pretrial hearing.

Both Kelly and Thompson were involved in a bar fight at the Muse that was caught on a video that circulated across the island. Charges were filed in October.

After being continued without a finding for one year, Kevin A. Lemus Estrada, 30, of Nantucket had an Oct. 26, 2022 charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol dismissed.

John Linder, 38, of Nantucket was ordered to serve one year of pretrial probation on July 29 charges of obstructing justice, negligent operation of a motor vehicle child under 8 years and under 58 inches without a seat belt (two counts), child 8-12 years old or over 57 inches without a seat belt, and two marked lanes violations stemming from a Vintage Bronco Rollover on Bartlett Road that sent five people to Nantucket Cottage Hospital in late July.

Walter E. Lopez-Castro, 44, of Nantucket had the one year probation he was serving on a guilty plea to an April 6, 2019 charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol (second offense) terminated.

After being continued without a finding for one year, William T. Matteson, 29, of West Hampton, Massachusetts had a Sept. 3, 2021 charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol dismissed.

John Carlos Ramos, 21, of Nantucket will have a June 18 charge of negligent operation of a motor vehicle continued without a finding for one year on the condition he complete his probation without a violation and pay $400 in court costs.

Elizabeth K. Skae, 31, of Nantucket will have a Nov. 14 charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol continued without a finding for one year on the condition she forfeit her license for 45 days, complete a driver-alcohol education program, pay a $250 program fee, $250 head-injury fee, $50 victim-witness fee, and $50 OUI assessment fee.

Charges of negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop/yield, speeding, and a marked lanes violation stemming from the same incident were dismissed.

After being continued without a finding for one year, Jake Toy, 44, of Nantucket had a June 1, 2022 charge of breaking & entering for a misdemeanor dismissed.

Booker T. Williams, 36, of Nantucket had an Aug. 29 charge of assault & battery on a family/household member dismissed after the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office declined to move forward with the case due to lack of cooperation from the alleged victim.

*All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty under a court of law*