Gaetano Lapegna of Franklin, NJ, Facing Child Porn Charge

A Sussex County man has been arrested and charged with distributing videos and images of child sexual abuse, federal officials said.

According to U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger's office, 64-year-old Gaetano Lapegna of Franklin is facing one count of distribution of child pornography.

According to documents filed in this case, from December 2022 to March 2023, Lapegna allegedly distributed videos and images of child sexual abuse via a publicly available online peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing program.

An undercover law enforcement officer conducted online sessions using that program, during which a user shared hundreds of videos and images of child sexual abuse from an IP address traced to Lapegna’s address, Sellinger said.

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Subsequent to a lawful search of his residence on March 30, 2023, law enforcement officers recovered at least two videos and 100 images depicting child sexual abuse on Lapegna’s thumb drive. Law enforcement also found that Lapegna’s computer was running the same version of the P2P program from which law enforcement downloaded child pornography from Lapegna.

The count of distribution of child pornography carries a prison term of five to 20 years and a $250,000 fine.

Lapegna appeared in Newark federal court on Thursday and was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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