North Andover wrestling coach sentenced to four months in House of Correction on child pornography charges

By Sarah N. Mattero, Globe Correspondent

A former North Andover High School wrestling coach pleaded guilty today in Essex Superior Court to two counts of possession of child pornography, the Essex County district attorney’s office said.

David Castricone, 61, was sentenced to 2 ½ years in the House of Corrections, with four months to be served and the balance suspended for three years while he is on probation.

While on probation, Castricone must register as a sex offender, complete a sex offender evaluation and treatment if necessary, wear a GPS monitor, as well as have no unsupervised contact with children under 16 or attend any North Andover High School events.

A February 2011 search of Castricone’s home led to the discovery of 77 pages of “personal photos of females,” eight child pornography pictures, child erotica, and adult pornography, prosecutors said last year.

A police report noted that the females appeared to be unaware their pictures were being taken. A witness had also told police that she had seen an older man, later determined to be Castricone, in the girls’ locker room.

Castricone had coached the high school’s wrestling team for 25 years.