Niskayuna

Police are continuing their probe into allegations that two 2015 Niskayuna High School graduates surreptitiously took dozens of sexually explicit cell phone photos and videos of their female classmates and kept the images on a flash drive inside a hollowed-out book at the school library.

That's where the small electronic storage device was discovered on April 15, 2015 by a parent volunteering at the library who noticed the book didn't have a bar code like the others, according to court papers outlining accusations against Christopher Khan and Angelo Cavallaro.

"The office is aware of it and it's an open investigation," said Schenectady County Assistant District Attorney John Carson.

While the police probe has so far not resulted in criminal charges directly related to the discovery of the library book and the flash drive, the pair face charges brought after its discovery, according to Carson and court documents.

Court papers reveal a joint law enforcement effort that included the State Police, Homeland Security and subpoenas to the file-hosting service Dropbox.

It was State Police analysis of the flash drive found at the high school library that led detectives to Khan.

The court filings indicate that the analysis showed images of possibly a 10-year-old female along with other females believed to be under 16 plus a "male with prom pictures and pictures/video of him masturbating on an airplane along with screen shots of text messages referring to a Chris Khan." Police took the prom photo to Niskayuna High School to positively identify Khan in April 2015.

The court documents state that Khan admitted during a police interview last year to owning the flash drive, "made verbal admissions to taking video and still pictures of Niskayuna High school females without their knowledge and consent." Kahn also told police that Cavallaro "had contacted him several times to take voyeurism, candid and up-skirt photos and videos of females," including at the Niska Day celebration on May 16, 2015, where a victim confronted him.

That same day, Cavallaro was interviewed by Niskayuna detectives and "admitted to paying C. Khan only once for a picture or video," having pictures and videos of Niskayuna High School females on his cell phone and being aware of Dropbox accounts with nude images of females, court documents say. He also told the detectives that he had viewed child pornography online, the court papers say.

Police seized Cavallaro's cell phone and executed search warrants at his home and at Khan's residence on Sandra Lane.

For now, Cavallaro, who according to information online is on the track team at SUNY-Oneonta, is charged with three felony counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child. The criminal complaint alleges that Cavallaro had "computer photographs depicting sexual conduct by a child less than sixteen years of age" on his laptop that police found at his home on Van Vranken Avenue on June 3, 2015.

In January, Cavallaro was arraigned in Niskayuna Town Court and released without bail before the matter was transferred to county court. Khan is charged with misdemeanor attempted unlawful surveillance and endangering the welfare of a child.

In a statement, the school district said: "There is nothing we take more seriously than the well-being of our students and maintaining a safe environment for them. As soon as we became aware of potential criminal activity, we notified law enforcement, which handled the investigation from there. We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement whenever necessary on behalf of the well-being of our students and school community."

Police Chief Dan McManus did not return a call Thursday seeking comment.

Sophia Constantine said she was shocked when she and her family received a call from Niskayuna police in March asking her if she would look at what turned out to be dozens of videos and inappropriate pictures that were secretly taken of her.

"I'm glad to know that the hard part is over and that I know about it, and I was able to confirm things, but it will definitely be nice when they get in trouble and get what they deserve. That way I can put it behind me," said Constantine, 19, who just finished her freshman year at The College of Saint Rose.

She recalled taking classes with both Khan and Cavallaro and being in the school band with Cavallaro but didn't consider them her friends.

She and her mother, Demantra Constantine, are outraged but confident justice will be served.

"I think I've learned from experience based on my husband's background with law enforcement that sometimes these things do take time because you have to give other people a chance to come forward to verify the videos," said Constantine, whose husband, Tom, is a retired Niskayuna police lieutenant. "As a parent, you don't want your child to ever be subjected to any behavior like that, and because she was so unknowing, she was an innocent victim."

pnelson@timesunion.com • 518-454-5347 • @apaulnelson