CHILD PORN AND RAPE CHARGES ROCK NAVAL
ACADEMY - TWO MIDSHIPMEN FACE ARTICLE 32
HEARINGS LATER THIS MONTH - SENIOR MICHAEL
POLLARD AND THIRD-YEAR MAN MARK CALVANICO
ACCUSED OF THE SEX CRIMES - BANCROFT HALL
WHERE OFFENSES ALLEGED TO HAVE OCCURRED

Radio DJ "Cousin" Bruce Morrow of WABC in New York, before that flame-thrower of a 50,000-watt station switched from pop music to a "talk" format, used to shout into the microphone: "And the HITS keep on coming!" He might as well have been referring to how often sex crimes happen at the U.S. Naval Academy (see "related stories box" at end of this story).

We've written about a female faculty member who moonlighted as a high-priced whore for the D.C. Madam [and gets a "slap-on-the-wrist" transfer to another assignment instead of a court-martial]; white girls who claim "rape" by African-American football players on the Academy team; a Catholic chaplain who molests male midshipmen; and a Navy doctor assigned to Annapolis who gets framed and sent to prison for allegedly taking "videos" of guests having sexual relations in his civilian quarters. He was said to have "violated" their privacy.

Now we have two Article 32 (preliminary hearings) scheduled for the end of this month. Midshipman 1st Class Michael Pollard is accused of attempted distribution of child pornography; possession of same; making a false official statement and obstructing justice. The alleged incidents are supposed to date back several years, said an Academy spokesperson. The other Naval cadet, a junior, 21 year-old Mark Calvanico, faces the most serious charge. Rape of a female "middie" at Bancroft Hall on the night of Oct. 14, 2007.

If convicted on the rape charge, the Secaucas, N.J. man could go to Leavenworth Disciplinary Barracks for more than 30 years.

Academy mouthpiece Jennifer Erikson didn't provide many details, but we do know that Pollard's hearing is slated for March 24 and Calvanico's comes up four days later. Both proceedings will be held at the Washington Navy Yard.