Island Resident Charged With Rape, Indecent Assault

An island resident was arraigned Friday in Nantucket District Court on rape and assault charges involving a 15-year-old girl on a sports team he was coaching.

Mark Hamilton, 23, of Nantucket, is facing charges of rape of a child with force (six counts), suffocation or strangulation (three counts), indecent assault and battery on an individual 14 or older (three counts), and one charge of intimidating a witness.

According to the police report, Hamilton, who was an assistant athletic coach for one of Nantucket High School’s sports teams, allegedly began exchanging messages with a 15-year-old girl in November of 2022. Those exchanges eventually began happening through Facetime.

In January, February, and March of 2023, Hamilton and the alleged victim engaged in sexual acts she claimed were forced, according to the report. 

On September 15, the alleged victim told police Hamilton contacted her through a social media app telling her "not to say anything, to say no to the investigators, to say it was another Mark, and to make the investigators believe something else," according to the report.

Hamilton pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him and posted $2,500 bail. He was ordered to return to court Oct. 10 for a pretrial hearing. He also had a restraining order issued against him for one year on behalf of the alleged victim, and was ordered to stay off of school grounds.

This week’s Current Court Report includes arraignments and dispositions from Monday’s Nantucket District Court session. Other cases include the following: 

Ryan Michael Allen, 26, of Nantucket will have a June 3 charge of negligent operation of a motor vehicle continued without a finding for one year on the condition he complete the year of probation without a violation. A charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs stemming from the same incident was dismissed and he was found not responsible for a marked lanes violation and speeding.

Damion Dwayne Brown, 39, of Nantucket had an Oct. 13, 2022 charge of larceny under $1,200 dismissed due to lack of prosecution.

Briar S. Carr, 29, of Nantucket had an Oct. 3, 2021 charge of assault dismissed due to lack of prosecution.

Jordan E. Delphos, 39, of Nantucket had a September 6 charge of assault on a family/household member dismissed due to lack of prosecution.

Dermot B. Earley, 42, of Yonkers, New York was arraigned on Sept. 22 charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and speeding. He had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf and was ordered to return to court Oct. 10 for a pretrial hearing.

Lashawn Goldson, 23, of Nantucket will have a May 18, 2022 charge of assault & battery with a dangerous weapon dismissed on the condition he complete one year of pretrial probation and stay away and have no contact with the alleged victim.

Peter Newton Jacobi, 31, of St. Louis, Missouri, had the probation he was serving on an Oct. 13, 2019 charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol (second offense) that was the result of a guilty verdict terminated.

After being continued without a finding for one year, Cecily Lough, 52, of Nantucket had a Sept. 16, 2022 charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol dismissed.

Charles Martin McGowan, 31, of Nantucket, was arraigned on Sept. 21 charges of possessing a burglarious instrument, attempted larceny, and defacing property. He had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf and was ordered to return to court Oct. 30 for a pretrial hearing.

After being continued without a finding for one year, William C. McKenney, 34, of Nantucket, had a July 14, 2021 charge of negligent operation of a motor vehicle dismissed.

Garry Anthony Sanders, 45, of Nantucket, was ordered to pay a $150 fine on a June 11 charge of disorderly conduct. He had a resisting arrest charge stemming from the same incident dismissed.

Kleyverton A. Souza, 34, of Nantucket, had the probation he was serving on a July 2, 2018 charge of violating an abuse prevention order terminated.

David A. St. Clair, 56, of West Chester, Pennsylvania had Aug. 19 charges of assault & battery on a person over 60/disabled and assault & battery dismissed due to lack of prosecution.

Byron E. Thomas, 38, of Bronx, New York, will have Aug. 7 charges of assault & battery and assault with a dangerous weapon dismissed on the condition he complete six months of pretrial probation.

Maria Vespasiano, 23, of Nantucket, was arraigned on a Aug. 11 charges of negligent operation of a motor vehicle, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and a marked lanes violation. She had not-guilty pleas entered on her behalf and was ordered to return to court November 6 for a pretrial hearing.

Jose Francisco Vilorio Mosquea, 49, of Nantucket was arraigned on Aug. 15 charges of negligent operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of personal injury, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and a marked lanes violation. He had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf and was ordered to return to court Nov. 6 for a pretrial hearing.

Aaron R. West, 46, of Nantucket was arraigned on Sept. 15 charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, a marked lanes violation, possessing an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, and not being in possession of his license. He had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf and agreed to a plea deal with the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office.

West will have the operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol charge continued without a finding for one year and the negligent operation of a motor vehicle charge was dismissed. West will be found not responsible on the remaining three charges.

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