Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, have announced the arrest of James Pagliaro, 26, from Middletown, New York. Pagliaro faces federal charges related to child exploitation offenses, including traveling to Connecticut with the intent to engage in sexual activity with a minor.
Pagliaro was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and has been ordered detained.
According to court documents and statements made during proceedings, Pagliaro began communicating with a 15-year-old girl on TikTok around October 2024. In December 2024, after learning her age, they continued their interaction through text messages. By January 2025, Pagliaro had traveled multiple times to Connecticut for illicit purposes involving the minor.
Further allegations indicate that a forensic examination conducted in February 2025 uncovered hundreds of explicit images and videos on the minor's iPhone. The investigation also revealed over 11,000 text messages and more than 300 calls between Pagliaro and the victim. The content included instructions for specific sexual acts and references acknowledging the illegality of his actions.
The charges against Pagliaro include production of child pornography with potential imprisonment ranging from 15 to 30 years; receipt of child pornography carrying five to 20 years; enticement of a minor which could result in up to life imprisonment; traveling for sexual activity with a minor punishable by up to 30 years; and transfer of obscene material which carries up to ten years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman emphasized that these are merely charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
The investigation involves HSI New England, HSI New York, Orange County Sheriff's Office in New York as well as police departments from Danbury, Ridgefield, and Watertown. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Gordon is prosecuting this case.
This case falls under the U.S Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative aimed at combating child sexual abuse and exploitation nationwide.
For further information about Project Safe Childhood visit www.justice.gov/psc or report cases at www.cybertipline.com.